How Addition of Jason Avant Helps Kansas City Chiefs' Ailing Passing Offense

The Kansas City Chiefs' loss to the Oakland Raiders on Thursday night did more than just drop the team to 7-4. 

The game highlighted a problem that has plagued the Kansas City offense throughout the 2014 season—the inability to attack downfield with the Chiefs' wide receivers.

While quarterback Alex Smith has played mostly efficient football this season (92.5 passer rating), he has not been able to threaten opposing defenses with the deep ball. His longest pass play of the season went for just 34 yards to tight end Travis Kelce. 

With no legitimate vertical-passing game to speak of for Kansas City, opponents are free to focus on running back Jamaal Charles and attack short-to-intermediate routes.

Part of the blame rests with Smith, who has shown an affinity for checkdown passes and dump-offs. Another part of the problem is that the Chiefs lack playmakers at the wide receiver position.

Dwayne Bowe currently leads the team with 41 receptions and 509 yards receiving. The next most-productive wideout is Donnie Avery, who has 14 receptions and 156 yards in four appearances. No wide receiver has logged a touchdown reception for Kansas City in 2014.

	REC	YDS	AVG	TD
Dwayne Bowe	41	509	12.4	0
Donnie Avery	14	156	11.1	0
Junior Hemingway	11	104	9.5	0
A.J. Jenkins	9	93	10.3	0
Frankie Hammond	2	31	15.5	0
Albert Wilson	2	24	12.0	0

This lack of production from outside pass-catchers is part of the reason why the Chiefs signed veteran free agent Jason Avant on Friday. The placing of wideout A.J. Jenkins on injured reserve is another.

The 31-year-old Avant was signed by the Carolina Panthers last offseason, but he was released after 11 games and just 201 yards receiving.

At this stage of his career, Avant is not going to really threaten defenses deep with blazing speed or nifty moves in the open field. However, he is a sure-handed veteran who works well in traffic and can provide Smith with another reliable target on the outside or out of the slot.

According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Avant is currently ranked 90th overall among NFL wide receivers—higher than Kansas City wideouts Jenkins, Junior Hemingway and Frankie Hammond.

Avant should also be able to make an early impact with his new team. The former Philadelphia Eagle spent his first seven seasons with now-Chiefs head coach Andy Reid. Four of those years were also spent with Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson.

While the Kansas City playbook won't be identical to the one Avant saw in Philadelphia, the wideout should still be familiar with several of the plays, concepts and tendencies.

This should allow Avant to adapt quickly to his new team and set him up in a position to have success as a pass-catcher.

In 2012—his last season with Reid and Pederson—Avant ranked 19th overall among wide receivers, according to Pro Football Focus. 

This is not to suggest that signing Avant suddenly gives the Chiefs a top-20 wideout with which to attack defenses. However, it is a very smart signing that should help upgrade one receiver position and help Kansas City make strides in the passing department.