I've been in the trade DK camp for a while. Not because I think he's anything other than awesome, but because conventional NFL wisdom says receivers don't matter that much. After all, they only touch the ball 7-8 times a game. In a salary cap league, the money is better spent on big uglies. DK (and a #1 receiver in general) is expensive, so trade him and take the picks and cap room and invest in difference making lineman on both sides of the ball. Or so I thought ...
The rash of extensions and the hold-ins had me wondering "what and the hell is going on? Don't these GMs know that WRs don't win championships." This confusion was further amplified by a post I say earlier today via Louis Riddick:
"6 out of 10’of highest paid non QB’s on APY basis now are WR’s. And it will grow. Been saying…It’s the second most valuable position in modern day football for many different reasons. Follow the money."
Interesting. So I figured I put the "WRs don't win championships" philosophy to the test. I know KC just won two rings without one. Except, I think you have to alibi anything that Mahomes is associated with as he a generational talent that transcends just about every "norm." And, he had an elite pass-catcher in Kelce. Technically not a WR, but most certainly a hall-of-fame receiving threat. Likewise with Brady in regard to overall talent and having the elite receiving threat (Gronk.)
And when you start running through the last several SBs
KC (see above) vs SF (three elite pass catchers; Deebo, Aiyuk, Kittle)
KC vs Philly (AJ Brown for whom they traded a haul and D. Smith)
Rams (Kupp, coming off the greatest statistical season ever) vs Bengals (Chase, Higgins)
TB (Brady w/ Evans and Godwin) vs KC (with Tyreek Hill and Kelce)
KC (Hill Kelce) vs SF (Deebo; though arguably not a difference maker at this point)
NE (Gronk) vs Rams (a solid Robert Woods but probably not an elite receiver for this argument)
All this to the point: You have to go back 5 years to find a Super Bowl team that didn't have an elite pass catcher. And most teams had multiple above average guys. I think there's a chance the "WRs don't win titles" narrative might be stale. In fact, I think you can make argument that it's nearly impossible to get there without one.
Looking forward, instead of trading DK I think you might just back up a dump truck of cash. And you have another one warming up for JSN.
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