The NFL free agent period is getting closer to starting and the wide receiver position is expected to be one of the deepest on the market and names like Hakeem Nicks, Eric Decker, James Jones, Anquan Boldin and Emmanuel Sanders are options for the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers.
The Kansas City Chiefs rebounded in 2013 and made the playoffs after having the number one overall pick the previous season and after losing to the Indianapolis Colts in the wild card round of the playoffs, head coach Andy Reid has added some firepower to the offense for Alex Smith, signing Canadian Football receiver Weston Dressler to a futures contract.
According to ESPN.com, the team signed Dressler to a futures contract in the hopes that he can catch on with the team and Reid is hoping to find lightning in a bottle, as the Chiefs were relatively weak at the position last season. The team ranked 24th in the league in passing yards last season and running back Jamaal Charles was the leading receiver on the team with 70 catches for 693 yards and seven touchdowns, while Dwayne Bowe was second with 57 catches for 673 yards and the team also had Donnie Avery and Dexter McCluster.
McCluster is set to be a free agent and ESPN.com reports that Dressler could take his place in the offense next season if the 28-year-old proves himself in training camp. ESPN.com reports that he has made 442 receptions for 6,531 yards and 43 touchdowns for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the CFL over the past six years and this season he ended up making 70 catches for over 1,000 yards along with nine touchdowns and his team won the Grey Cup. Dressler is also an accomplished returner and he could serve that role for the Chiefs, as McCluster also did that for KC.
"He's not your prototypical big NFL receiver, but he's very savvy and crafty in his route running and that's what's given him a lot of success out there," Roughriders assistant general manager Jeremy O'Day told the Kansas City Star, according to ESPN.com. "I don't think you'll find a tougher guy ... when he does get hurt, he plays through those injuries, and he doesn't want to come out of games and he doesn't want to miss practice."