The Kansas City Chiefs are going to make upgrading the wide receiver corps around quarterback Patrick Mahomes a top priority as free agency gets underway.
Following a season that saw the Chiefs‘ receiving corps largely underperform and after Kansas City already moved on from Marquez Valdes Scantling this offseason, expect general manager Brett Veach to act aggressively to bolster the talent in Mahomes’ arsenal ahead of a run for a third consecutive Super Bowl title.
Ahead of free agency beginning, Pro Football Focus lists Chicago Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney as a perfect fit for the Kansas City Chiefs.
“In Mooney’s second season in 2021,” Brad Spielberger writes for PFF. “He put up 1,055 receiving yards on 81 receptions with a career-best 74.9 receiving grade. Since then, Mooney has unfortunately dealt with a few minor injuries and one of the lower-volume passing attacks in the league. Nonetheless, he creates separation on intermediate and deep routes consistently, and he could be the ultimate buy-low for a team that can tap into the potential we saw a few years back.”
What Darnell Mooney Would Bring Kansas City Chiefs
Mooney has upside as a deep threat and has seemingly been held back by mediocre quarterback play through his career in Chicago.
Through his first four seasons, Mooney has pulled down 213 receptions for 2,593 yards with 11 touchdowns. While injuries have dinged Mooney thus far, a change of scenery and arriving in an offense that emphasizes the vertical passing game could maximize his upside.
Mooney is just one season removed from a 2022 season that saw Bears quarterbacks post a 92.1 passer rating as he averaged 4.3 yards after the catch per reception.
In an offense with Mahomes, an emerging Rashee Rice, and Travis Kelce remaining a dominant and consistent weapon in the passing game, Mooney could benefit from the attention paid to the Kansas City Chiefs’ weapons.
What is Darnell Mooney’s Market Value?
In a crowded wide receiver market, especially at the top with Michael Pittman Jr. likely to fetch top dollar, Mooney could prove to be a buy-low bargain for a team like the Kansas City Chiefs.
Spotrac projects Mooney could fetch a four-year contract worth $41.9 million, averaging out to $10.4 million, annually which would make him the No. 40 highest-paid receiver in the league.
Even after signing Chris Jones to a five-year deal worth $158.7 million, the Kansas City Chiefs have just $1.6 million in cap space for 2024, but that includes the franchise tag that was placed on All-Pro cornerback L’Jarius Sneed as either a placeholder to an extension that would lower his cap number or to buy time in order to make a trade.
If Mooney is a player the Kansas City Chiefs believe can elevate the passing game around Mahomes, structuring a contract with a low guarantee in 2024 and backloading the contract could make the signing possible.
More must-reads: