Chiefs “replace” Tyreek with a guy who’s never had more than 40 catches

One day after trading Tyreek Hill, the Kansas City Chiefs have signed his “replacement.”

Replacement is in quotes, because Marquez Valdes-Scantling is a fraction of the playmaker Hill is.

Former Packers’ WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling is signing a three-year, $30 million deal worth up to $36 million with the Chiefs, per source. This is called living right: Valdes-Scantling goes from the NFL’s reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers to the NFL’s former MVP Patrick Mahomes.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 24, 2022

Look, the Chiefs had to do something after trading one of the most dynamic receivers in the NFL, but this is still great news overall for Broncos fans. Valdes-Scantling has never caught 40 passes in a season or gone for more than 700 yards. And considering his old QB was Aaron Rodgers, there’s no blaming the man who was throwing him the football.

For comparison, Hill averaged 79.6 receptions and more than 1,100 yards during his six seasons in Kansas City. Hill has 56 career receiving touchdowns, Valdes-Scantling has just 13.

Yes, Mahomes still has tight end Travis Kelce, but Valdes-Scantling and the oft-injured JuJu Smith-Schuster are not adequate replacements. No matter how you slice it, the Chiefs took a step back this week.

And the Broncos? You already know about their monster offseason. As my colleague Shawn Drotar wrote this morning, the door is wide open for Denver to win the AFC West in 2022.
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