The Kansas City Chiefs certainly had an interesting offseason in 2022. Unable to agree to terms on a contract extension with superstar wide receiver Tyreek Hill, the Chiefs traded him to the Miami Dolphins for a collection of draft picks.
While the franchise brought in free agent wideouts JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, it will still be interesting to see if the Chiefs are ultimately able to maintain the offense's level of explosiveness sans Hill in 2022.
On the defensive side of the ball, Kansas City lost cornerback Charvarius Ward and safety Tyrann Mathieu, who departed for the New Orleans Saints, though they quickly replaced the latter with former Houston Texans safety Justin Reid. In the draft, Kansas City spent their top two picks on the defense, bringing in cornerback Trent McDuffie and George Karlaftis.
Even though the Chiefs had to watch as the rest of the division improved, they should still remain a contender in the AFC West, given that Patrick Mahomes is still under center. However, Mahomes and company will need some new- and old- faces to step up in 2022.
Here are three players who could enjoy breakout seasons in 2022.
Chiefs Breakout Players For 2022 NFL Season
3. Mecole Hardman
Mecole Hardman has been a popular pick to take the next step for the Chiefs over the last few seasons. Hardman, who ran a blazing 4.33 40-yard dash, has always possessed the speed to be a big-time playmaker in the Chiefs' offense.
The Pro Bowl returner seemed to take a step forward in 2021, as he registered career-highs in targets, receptions and receiving yards. Hardman's 71.1 catch percentage was also the best mark he's ever produced in three NFL seasons, showing that he offered a dependable set of hands for Mahomes.
Even with Valdes-Scantling and Smith-Schuster set to eat up a fair portion of the offense's passing game workload, there should be more than enough opportunities for Hardman to realize his full potential.
His target numbers have increased every year since he's arrived in the NFL, suggesting that the Chiefs are always actively looking for ways to get him the ball.
Hardman is poised for a breakout year in 2022.
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A first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Clyde Edwards-Helaire was essentially handpicked by Mahomes to be the team's selection. He has failed to live up the billing, though, having produced just 1746 scrimmage yards in two seasons.
However, Edwards-Helaire has also had to deal with ankle, knee and shoulder injuries through his first two seasons, limiting him to 23 games. There's reason to believe that health has been holding back the LSU product all this time.
One area he could make a huge difference in in 2022 is as a pass-catcher. With Hill gone, it will be all hands-on deck for the Chiefs in the passing game. In 2021, Edwards-Helaire posted a catch rate above 80 percent, displaying the sue hands that excited Kansas City about his NFL potential.
While he technically did take a step back this past season, there is reason to believe that he will enjoy his best season yet. The 23-year-old said that this will be his first full offseason of training after he underwent gall bladder surgery ahead of the 2021 season.
With a full training program and better health, the Chiefs could finally get the version of Edwards-Helaire they thought they were getting when they made him a first-round pick two years ago.
1. Trent McDuffie
The Chiefs sent three draft picks to the New England Patriots for the right to move up in the draft and select Trent McDuffie this past April. It was certainly a bold move, though the Chiefs had a void to fill at cornerback after Charvarius Ward's departure this offseason.
McDuffie isn't quite the biggest- 5-11- or fastest- 4.40 40-yard dash- corner in this year's draft, though he certainly has the ability to be a solid starter in the NFL. He's a capable tackler who showed excellent field awareness during his time with Washington.
While his size will likely limit him to the role of slot corner as a rookie, it's a role he should get every chance to excel at. The Chiefs just so happened to play with two teams, the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders, who each ranked inside the top-10 in pass attempts.
The other team, the Denver Broncos, brought in Russell Wilson to be their quarterback. Simply put, McDuffie will be starting for a team who will play against some of the league's best passing offenses. He will get plenty of chances to show what he can do in 2022.
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