With Tyreek hill traded, it seems the Chiefs have immediately found a receiver to offset the loss of the generational talent. The Chiefs have signed Marquez Valdes-Scantling to a three-year, $30 million deal worth up to $36 million:
Last season in 11 games (seven starting), Scantling had 29 catches on 55 targets for 430 yards and three touchdowns; he averaged 16.5 yards per reception. Furthermore, he led the league in yards per reception in 2020 with 20.9. Here are my initial reactions to this breaking news:
His Catch Percentage Numbers Aren’t That Hot For $36 Million
When looking at Scantling, the first thing that will jump out at you is his catch percentage numbers. His overall catch percentage is 49.8%, with having a 47.3% catch percentage in 2021 (second-career lowest). Additionally, he hasn’t scrapped a 55%+ catch percentage in his career. That’s pretty concerning looking at the investment the Chiefs put in him for these next three years.
When the Jaguars signed Christian Kirk, it’s safe to say that they broke the wide receiver market. So, I can see a little bit why the numbers are a little bit higher than expected (Scantling had an $8.7 million market value per Spotrac). I hope his catching numbers improve because he could be a 1k+ receiver, especially with the volume of targets he’ll be getting with the chiefs this season. If he can do that, it may not be an overpay like some fans are already trying to state. This is a wait-and-see type of situation.
A Home Run Hitter Like Tyreek Hill
Like Hill, Scantling was known for being a home-run type player for the Green Bay Packers. Here’s a brief example from 2021 on his game-breaking ability:
Scantling has the speed, agility, and acceleration to break a home run pay for this chiefs’ offense, which is what they want. He’s a speedster, much like Hill, who can find gaps within zone coverage and exploit them for huge gains (as shown above). Scantling isn’t the strongest receiver in the league. However, he still has the strength and height (standing at 6’4″) to make smaller defenders pay.
Scantling could prove to be useful in the Chiefs’ pass-heavy offensive system. He’s a high-flying speedster that has shown to make a motherlode of his gargantuan plays in his time with the Packers. I feel as though we’ll be seeing some interesting plays from him in the future, especially with this offense.
What are your thoughts on the Chiefs signing Marquez Valdes-Scantling? Leave a comment down below to join the discussion.
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