Marquez Valdes-Scantling reveals surprising aspect of free agency decision

The Kansas City Chiefs traded away superstar wide receiver Tyreek Hill, and later signed former Green Bay Packers wideout Marquez Valdes-Scantling to replace him. Valdes-Scantling provides the Chiefs with another downfield threat on offense, and he should fit seamlessly into the Kansas City offense with Patrick Mahomes throwing him the ball.

The Chiefs signed Valdes-Scantling to a three-year deal worth $30 million, including $18 million guaranteed. But Valdes-Scantling said that he had more lucrative offers elsewhere in free agency. But he wanted to be in a position to win, and he believes that the Chiefs give him the best chance to do so.

“I turned down a bunch of other deals for more money because I didn’t want to go lose,” Valdes-Scantling said via Aaron Ladd on signing with the Chiefs. “It’s not always about money.”

Valdes-Scantling previously spent four years with the Packers after being selected in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of South Florida. In Green Bay, he has turned into a big threat down the field. Valdes-Scantling caught 38 passes for 581 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie in 2018, and he had 26 receptions for 452 yards and two touchdowns in 2019.

2020 was the best season of his NFL career, as he had 33 receptions for 690 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 20.9 yards per carry. This past season, Valdes-Scantling played in just 11 games, totaling 26 receptions for 430 yards and three touchdowns.

Valdes-Scantling will hope to fill part of the void on the Chiefs left from the Hill trade

Replacing Hill’s production will be no easy task for the Chiefs, but Valdes-Scantling can provide at least some of his speed down the field. He should fit in nicely with the strong arm of Mahomes. Hill had 479 receptions for 6,630 yards and 56 touchdowns in six years in Kansas City. This past season, he had a career high 111 receptions, with 1,239 yards and nine touchdowns.

In addition to Valdes-Scantling, the Chiefs signed wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster to a one-year deal. Smith-Schuster and Valdes-Scantling join Mecole Hardman, Josh Gordon, Corey Coleman and others in the Kansas City wide receiver room.

The Chiefs also have two picks at the end of the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and many believe that one of those picks will be used to bring in another wide receiver. This is a deep wide receiver class in the draft, and the Chiefs could do well in adding another wideout to the roster.