The Kansas City Chiefs go into the 2023 NFL season with a not-so-new offensive coordinator in Matt Nagy, who re-takes his position as OC by replacing Eric Bieniemy, who left the Chiefs to become the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach of the Washington Commanders. Nagy was the Chiefs’ quarterbacks coach a season ago and will now oversee the team’s offense.
This year, the Chiefs have a highly talented group of wide receivers that can benefit the team in various ways. Nagy took to the podium on Wednesday and told the media he’d find ways to utilize every receiver Kansas City has on the 90-man roster but understands the final decisions for who makes the team are decided by general manager Brett Veach, his staff, and head coach Andy Reid.
“They’re all talented in different ways,” said Nagy. “Coach Reid and Brett [Veach] will get together and talk through every week, whether it’s five, six, seven guys, and whatever it is, that’s what we roll with.”
The Chiefs have several guys that specialize in different things. Some are better at making contested catches, others are great as return specialists, and others are speeders who make an impact when they’re out in space. Nagy wouldn’t comment on who he thinks is the fastest but mentioned Marquez Valdez-Scantling would be the first to begin chattering about the subject.
“I can tell you who’s gonna say he’s the fastest, [is] MVS,” Nagy replied when asked for his take. “He’s going to say that, I know that for sure, but there’s probably about two or three other guys in there that will be right there with him. I [do] think we have some good speed out there that can take the top off,” Nagy stated. “It can affect defensive coverages with the different types of Cover 2 and Cover 4 shell [opposing defenses] want to play.”
Through two preseason games, the Chiefs coaching staff is observing each receiver to evaluate their impact on the field and their ability to avoid making the same mistakes more than once.
“I think it’s been a really good camp for those guys,” Nagy reflected. “There are some guys that have come in and shown that they’ve been able to take the playbook on right away, [and] not make the same mistakes twice, and that’s one of the things that I mentioned before is we look for that.”
Kansas City currently has fourteen wide receivers on their preseason roster. That means the upstairs office will make some tough decisions to make when the time comes to trim that position group down to a select few. Although Nagy has reason to want to see all his receivers stay for the fall season, he understands that this is the end of the line for some, while others may have another opportunity with another team.
“In the end, I wish everybody could make this team,” empathized Nagy. “That’s your goal as a coach is to develop them so that if they don’t make this team, it’s a small fraternity, and they’re able to go somewhere and help somebody else out and be thankful for their opportunity here.”
One receiver who was a prolific playmaker for Kansas City last season was veteran Kadarius Toney, who missed most of training camp and preseason with a knee injury but is expected to return for Week 1 of the regular season. However, if he is not ready to go at the start of the season, Nagy told the media the team has a few contingency plans for whatever situation arises.
“You always have contingencies for so many different situations,” Nagy told reporters on Tuesday. “We want to be able to prepare. “[So] we just listen to whatever Rick Burkholder and coach Reid and Veach say. We have a plan for that, and then, you have to plan in many different ways so that you don’t get caught [off guard] either way. So [if they say,] ‘Hey, he’s 100% let’s go,’ We have that plan. But [if they say,] ‘He’s not ready,’ We’ve got that contingency plan, “Nagy explained.
“I know Kadarius is working his tail off to get back [and] in the big picture, that’s what matters most,” Nagy concluded.
