Chiefs' Updated Depth Chart, Salary Cap After Marquez Valdes-Scantling $30M Contract

The Kansas City Chiefs have landed their first post-Tyreek Hill weapon, signing Marquez Valdes-Scantling to a three-year contract Thursday.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported the deal is for a maximum of $36 million and will pay Valdes-Scantling $18 million over the first two seasons.

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Chiefs Depth Chart

QB: Patrick Mahomes, Chad Henne, Shane Buechele
RB: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Derrick Gore, Brenden Knox
FB: Michael Burton
WR: Juju Smith-Schuster, Mecole Hardman, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Josh Gordon, Gehrig Dieter, Cornell Powell, Chris Finke, Justin Watson, Daurice Fountain, Omar Bayless, Corey Coleman, Mathew Sexton, Gary Jennings
TE: Travis Kelce, Blake Bell, Noah Gray, Jordan Franks, Jody Fortson, Matt Bushman, Josh Pederson, Mark Vital, Nakia Griffin-Stewart
LT: Orlando Brown, Prince Tega Wanogho, Geron Christian
LG: Joe Thuney, Nick Allegretti
C: Creed Humphrey, Austin Reiter, Darryl Williams
RG: Trey Smith, Andrew Wylie
RT: Lucas Niang, Roderick Johnson

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The Chiefs currently have $26.2 million in cap space for the 2022 season, per Spotrac. Details on Valdes-Scantling's contract structure will have to come out before we know the full cap ramifications, but it's likely the deal is structured to give Valdes-Scantling the lowest possible cap number for 2022.

Valdes-Scantling spent his first four NFL seasons with the Green Bay Packers and should provide an instant boost to the Chiefs' downfield passing game. He's averaged 17.5 yards per reception for his career and topped the NFL at 20.9 yards per catch in 2020. 

Hill's brilliance was in his ability to both make plays underneath and down the field, and Valdes-Scantling has been lacking in his intermediate production throughout his career. Valdes-Scantling has caught only 123 of his 247 total targets, and that came with Aaron Rodgers throwing him the ball. Unless his role drastically changes, it's unlikely we'll see a vast improvement given Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes are two of the three best quarterbacks in the sport.

That said, with the going rate for a top-flight wide receiver increasing exponentially this offseason, getting a solid deep threat at around $10-12 million per season might be a shrewd play.