Arrowheadlines: Joshua Williams could be a breakout player for the Chiefs

29/06/2024

The latest

2024 NFL All-Breakout Team, Defense: Steelers, Jags each boast two selections; fear Kayvon Thibodeaux! | NFL.com

CB - Joshua Williams

Kansas City Chiefs · Age 24

Perhaps the Chiefs were willing to move on from L’Jarius Sneed due to Williams’ potential as a sticky cover corner in a man-heavy scheme. Since his arrival as a fourth-round pick out of Fayetteville State in 2022, Williams’ growth has raised eyebrows around the league, with scouts and executives appreciating the small-school standout’s game. As an instinctive playmaker with exceptional length, Williams has earned rave reviews for his work as a part-time player in Kansas City’s defensive backfield. He is not afraid of the bright lights and big stage, as evidenced by his play as a young defender on the back-to-back Super Bowl champs. With more opportunities to showcase his talents against elite receivers in the AFC, Williams could emerge as a worthy complement to Trent McDuffie on the perimeter.

Can politicians find a way to keep the Chiefs in Missouri? | Arrowhead Pride Premier

In Missouri, Jackson County calls the shots. It currently has a ⅜-cent county sales tax (0.00375%) approved in 2006 to fund improvements to both stadiums in the Truman Sports Complex. It expires in 2031. In April, voters rejected another ⅜-cent tax to replace the 2006 tax and run through 2064. It was expected to bring in $2 billion to pay the lion’s share of modernizing Arrowhead and building a new Royals stadium downtown.

The Kansas plan uses its unique STAR (Sales Tax and Revenue) program. Private investors would purchase so-called “STAR bonds” to help finance up to two new stadiums. The bonds would be repaid by the 6.5% Kansas state sales tax collected at the new facilities (and any developments that rise around them). Under the Kansas legislation passed in June, state alcohol taxes from the stadium districts (and a portion of the state’s yearly lottery revenue) could also be pledged toward repayment of the bonds.

Here’s a real-world example of how the two approaches are different.

Over the weekend, my wife, Terri, and I visited the new Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum at the airport in Atchison, Kansas. $2.4 million of its construction cost came from STAR bonds issued in 2018. While there, we spent $72 on admission, souvenirs and gifts. So we contributed $4.68 to the bonds’ repayment. So far, 30% of the investors’ money has been repaid; the project is on schedule.

But if Earhart had been born in nearby St. Joseph, Missouri, Buchanan County might have imposed a 25-year, ⅜-cent sales tax to help finance the same attraction at Rosecrans Airport. So a St. Joseph household that spent $20,000 on groceries, clothes, furniture and other items each year would have shelled out $75 yearly to finance the museum’s construction — even if they never walked through its doors.

Ranking top 20 tight ends for 2024 NFL season: George Kittle takes top spot over Travis Kelce | CBS Sports

2. Travis Kelce, Chiefs

Kelce is one of the small handful of best tight ends in NFL history. As we saw during the playoffs, he can still take over games along with Patrick Mahomes. He did have a somewhat down regular season by his standards, though, and the Chiefs are likely to continue managing his workload, taking him off the field more often on first and second downs to save him for passing situations. He was only asked to block on 30.7% of his snaps last season, the fourth-lowest mark among 81 tight ends who played 100 snaps or more. That’s a good thing for him and the Chiefs, but it also holds him back from topping the list for the 2024 season.

Biggest red flags for 20 NFL contenders in 2024: Bills’ overhauled WRs, Bengals’ QB health among top concerns | CBS Sports

Chiefs: Cornerback depth

Kansas City wouldn’t have traded L’Jarius Sneed, their top cover man in 2023, if Trent McDuffie hadn’t also emerged as a versatile starter in the secondary. Even so, new running mate Joshua Williams enters 2024 with just six career starts under his belt, putting more pressure on the safeties.

Marcus Allen on modern running backs, Isiah Pacheco’s running style | Chiefs Wire

Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco has earned a reputation as a hard-nosed runner who is willing to make contact with defenders in pursuit of extra yardage. Pacheco has dealt with injuries due to this propensity for contact over his first two seasons, as Allen chimed in on his approach per carry.

“He runs extremely hard; I’ve always had this thing: if you carry the ball and you attack every single one, you’re hit, let’s say, four times by four defenders, after 11 straight plays… you’ve been hit 44 times,” said Allen. “Being elusive is good, not trying to run everybody over on every play. I’ve always picked a side; you pick a shoulder, you try to but never make full contact, and you’ll get hit. I mean, you play this game. It’s no avoiding it.

“The good ones, obviously, instead of giving up 100 percent of their body, they give up 98.5 percent. They sometimes feel like they never played, even though they are running hard. Everybody used to criticize Franco Harris for running out of bounds on occasion; you have to. So there are times that you have to avoid contact.”

Around the NFL

Broncos LB Jonas Griffith wants to ‘pick off’ former QB Russell Wilson in Week 2 game vs. Steelers | NFL.com

Unfortunately for Denver Broncos linebacker Jonas Griffith, he missed all of Russell Wilson’s last season in the Mile High City.

He can’t wait to welcome back his old teammate in Week 2 this season, though.

Eager to get back after a season-stealing ACL tear, Griffith envisions nothing better than intercepting the new Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback when the Broncos host Wilson and Co. on Sept. 15.

“I’m really excited obviously for any game I get to play in,” Griffith said recently on Denver Sports 104.3 The Fan. “But you see that one you’re excited to go out there and — beat the Steelers, first of all, it’s a good organization. I want to pick off Russ, for sure. I think that would be really cool, just to pick him off and get the victory, first and foremost.”

Jury rules NFL violated antitrust laws in ‘Sunday Ticket’ case | ESPN

The jury awarded $4.7 billion in damages to the residential class and $96 million in damages to the commercial class. Since damages can be tripled under federal antitrust laws, the NFL could end up being liable for $14.39 billion.

The lawsuit covered 2.4 million residential subscribers and 48,000 businesses in the United States who paid for the package of out-of-market games from the 2011 through 2022 seasons on DirecTV. The lawsuit claimed the league broke antitrust laws by selling its package of Sunday games at an inflated price. The subscribers also say the league restricted competition by offering “Sunday Ticket” only on a satellite provider.

The NFL said in a statement that it will appeal the verdict.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

Chiefs Roster: Setting expectations for Felix Anudike-Uzomah in 2024

What we saw in 2023

As a rookie, Anudike-Uzomah played only 211 defensive snaps. In 146 of those, he was a pass rusher. He finished the season with 14 tackles (eight solo, two for loss), half a sack, a forced fumble and nine quarterback pressures.

Coming out of college, it was expected that Anudike-Uzomah’s lack of size and strength would limit his ability against the run — so the Chiefs used him primarily on passing downs.

On this play, the Denver Broncos try a zone run. An H-back goes flat down the line to cut off Anudike-Uzomah, who is the back side EDGE. He uses the wrong arm to take on the blocker — and his eyes are never in the backfield. The running back makes his cut off the H-back’s block. All Anudike-Uzomah can do is turn and watch the running back go by.

While this play has more to do with recognizing where the ball is going than it does with Anudike-Uzomah’s physical capabilities, it still displays issues he needs to correct.