Chiefs WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling wants to finish his career in Kansas City with QB Patrick Mahomes
Kansas City Chiefs WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling has led a very fortunate career.Few receivers can justly say they've played with two Hall of Fame quarterbacks in their career, but rest assured that Valdes-Scantling will be able to tell that story. He started his NFL career with Aaron Rodgers on the Green Bay Packers. After leaving the […]
Kansas City Chiefs WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling has led a very fortunate career.
Few receivers can justly say they've played with two Hall of Fame quarterbacks in their career, but rest assured that Valdes-Scantling will be able to tell that story. He started his NFL career with Aaron Rodgers on the Green Bay Packers. After leaving the Packers in the 2022 NFL offseason, Valdes-Scantling landed in Kansas City with Patrick Mahomes.
Valdes-Scantling is grateful for the situations that he's been put in during his time in the league. He also very much would like to call Kansas City his last stop in his NFL career.
"I've played with the two best quarterbacks to ever play this game," Valdes-Scantling told reporters. "Especially when it comes to arm talent-wise. Obviously, (Tom) Brady has all the statistics, but I think Pat (Mahomes) is getting pretty close to breaking some of those. When it comes to arm talent, man, between Aaron (Rodgers) and Pat (Mahomes), they're equal. So, having those two guys be my quarterbacks for my career has been nothing but life-changing. I'm grateful for both of those guys. I've got great friendships with both of those guys.
"I hope that I can finish my career here with Pat (Mahomes) and watch Aaron (Rodgers) finish his career in New York and it'll be good."
Will Marquez Valdes-Scantling be back with the Chiefs in 2024?
Chiefs WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling is technically under contract for the 2024 NFL season. He signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the team in free agency back in 2022. The problem with that contract is that his cap hit balloons during the upcoming season. At $13.9 million, it's actually the sixth-largest cap hit on the team next year. Only Patrick Mahomes, Joe Thuney, Jawaan Taylor, Travis Kelce, and Justin Reid have larger cap hits next season.
Kansas City and Valdes-Scantling both have a decision to make. The Chiefs can release Valdes-Scantling and save $11.9 million in 2024 with only a $2 million dead money charge. They simply cannot keep Valdes-Scantling next season with that cap hit. He finished the season with 21 receptions on 42 targets (50% catch rate) for 315 yards and just one touchdown grab during the regular season. Yes, he has come up big for the team during the postseason with 5 receptions for 108 yards over the past three games. A big Super Bowl performance won't offset the struggles he saw this year in the regular season.
If Valdes-Scantling does want to stay in Kansas City for the remainder of his career, he has some serious work to do as far as his performance is concerned. Next year isn't even a guarantee unless he were to agree to a reworked contract or a contract extension that could spread out his cap hit.
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