Leaders urged to enlist in Georgia TE Arik Gilbert in 2023

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LSU tight ending Arik Gilbert.

KY

In 2021, Travis Kelce proved that he is still a character with the best ending despite being 32 years old. But that doesn’t mean he will remain elite for the rest of his career. That’s why Kansas City should have a Kelce succession plan.

The defending champions AFC West had young talent on the roster for the second year of tight Noah Gray and Jody Fortson. But if they want one more solid option to replace Kelce after he retires, PFF’s Mike Renner has a player the Chiefs can draft in 2023:

Arik Gilbert of Georgia.

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“Travis Kelce is not a spring chicken – he turned 33 this fall and his cap began to escalate rapidly after that,” Renner wrote on June 30. “Even if he has more years, having a talent like Gilbert in the rush to learn from Kelce is a win in the long run. Gilbert is the most overrated TE player ever, as he moves like a wide receiver despite weighing 250 pounds. However, he has given his fair share of off-field problems, including missing all of last season for personal reasons. “

Gilbert was one of the most highly rated tight-lipped rookies of 2020 while he was at LSU, according to the PFF. During his freshman year at LSU, he caught 35 368-foot passes and 2 touchdowns, according to Sports Reference. He moves to Georgia in 2021, but off-field problems have sidelined him for the past two seasons. Although he has not shown his ability on the field in the last two seasons, Gilbert is certainly extremely talented.

Chiefs can trade veteran ‘Big-Play’ if rookie impresses

The Chiefs’ defense is filled with talent preparing for the 2022 season, which makes it difficult to determine which wingers will feature on the 53-man roster next September.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Derrick Gore and Jerick McKinnon are Kansas City defenders. The Chiefs added veteran Ronald Jones II during his time as a free agent, and also signed rookies Isiah Pacheco, Jerrion Ealy and Tayon Fleet-Davis after the draft.

While Edwards-Helaire, Jones, Gore and McKinnon have the advantage of making Kansas City’s 2022 regular-season roster, that could change if one or more rookies show up this summer in training camp. training and pre-season.

If that happens, what will the defending champions AFC West do with their veterans?

Cutting any rookies might seem like a waste, but moving them away for compensation would be a sensible way to manage the roster.

Arrowhead Live’s Caleb James disrupted Kansas City’s backyard recently and predicts what could happen if the backroom gets crowded because one or more rookies shine in training camp.

“Nor would I rule out the possibility of the Chiefs trading one of these players if the level of competition is good across the board,” James wrote on June 26. “The most likely candidate in my eyes would be Ronald Jones. He has so many years of experience and a wide range of forte that a team in need might be willing to trade in an in-depth player or even a mid-to-late draft pick for a revival. his service. Veach traded Carlos Hyde shortly after camp in 2019 and acquired eventual starter Martinas Rankin at a modest cost. If there is a trade this year, it will likely be a deeply defensive end product. “

If Kansas City wants to trade Jones, it could be difficult to find suitors, especially at the start of the season when teams are still trying to figure out what they have on their roster for talent. However, there is still the possibility that some other teams are interested in trading for Jones, who has proven to be a very capable producer and is on a very cheap contract.

The Chiefs signed Jones on March 26 to a one-year deal that could earn him up to $5 million. However, aside from the incentives, Jones is still on the roster with a $1.5 million cap for the 2022 season. So if he doesn’t move in Kansas City and the team wants to cut him first During the regular season, Troop Leaders can do so and receive only a minimal amount of dead money.

Pacheco ‘Dark Horse’ to become KC activity list

There isn’t much room for any new faces to make a name for themselves in the backyard of Kansas City. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few players who will try to do it.

Take for example the rookie pick in the seventh round, Isiah Pacheco. As a product of Rutgers, Pacheco doesn’t enter the league with a strong college background. During his four years at Rutgers, he never accumulated more than 170 touchdowns in a single season or 729 dashing yards, both of which were career highs in his second season. This is a big part of why he didn’t get enlisted until Day 3 despite running a 4.37 40-yard run at the NFL Scouting Combine and having some other coveted traits in an NFL. run back.

Being placed in an already overcrowded backyard doesn’t give Pacheco any chance of making the NFL roster, even with draft capital tied to him. But one NFL analyst believes he can beat the odds and make Kansas City’s 53-man roster.

Arrowhead Pride’s KC Proctor explains why he believes Pacheco could roll out the Chiefs’ active roster in September.

“Pacheco, who would be a radiant No 10, was never included in the Scarlett Knights pass game and had concerns that led to the draft about his ability as a downlink receiver,” Proctor explained. like on June 20. “Whether he wants it or not. cleaning up that part of his game and dismissing the naysayers has yet to be seen, but the way he moves with the ball in his hand makes him a compelling asset to the screen game by the Chiefs. He tends to try breaking outside runs a little earlier, rather than allowing the blocks to develop in front of him, so maybe he can settle into a short catch with obvious comfort own when working through space in the apartment.

“Whether he becomes a received threat, earns a percentage doing backstage, or just hangs around to foul, we are likely to see him on the field in some capacity. If nothing else, like a spark plug for special teams. “

Proctor then went on to explain that Pacheco could have a similar NFL trajectory to Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill’s past.

He continued: “At a brilliant 4.37 40-yard run, watching the No. 10 pounce on shots and/or shoots will be reminiscent of Tyreek Hill’s early days in Kansas City,” he continued. continue. “If it is Isiah Pacheco’s first role with the Chiefs, fans can only hope that he will experience a similar trajectory of success.”

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