Kansas City Chiefs: Jerheme Urban Looks to Make a Comeback and Help the Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs released their depth chart Tuesday morning. There is no reason to take a depth chart in early August seriously since it’s a rough draft of a team’s roster. However, one move that surprised many Chiefs fans was seeing Jerheme Urban placed on top of the second wide receiver position opposite Dwayne Bowe.

Urban signed with the Chiefs in March of 2010. He came from Arizona, where he played under Todd Haley’s offense in 2007 and 2008. Before the regular season kicked off, the Chiefs announced that Urban sustained a torn flexor tendon in the ring finger on his right hand and was placed on the injured reserve.

In 2008 with Arizona, Urban was tied for fourth on the team in receptions and third on the team in receiving touchdowns. Despite being able to contribute, he did not receive as much recognition due to three receivers ahead of him on the team catching over 1,000 yards.

“He’s somehow been labeled,” Haley told the media on Tuesday. “It’s probably our fault in Arizona, because we had him inside a bunch just by what we had there and how we had to organize the group, so he got labeled as more of a possession guy, but he’s a vertical threat.”

Haley is no stranger to Urban and worked with him in 2006 when they were both part of the Dallas Cowboys organization. Haley and Urban worked together for three seasons in Dallas and Arizona combined before reuniting in Kansas City.

“I have a lot of experience with Jerheme all the way back to Dallas,” Haley said. “Seattle had let him go and we picked him up in Dallas while I was there. He found his way out to Arizona, [he] was a contributor for us. He’s a guy that each and every year, I’ve seen improvement from.”

With the release of Chris Chambers before the start of training camp, the Chiefs are looking for a reliable receiver to play opposite of Bowe. Haley feels Urban’s abilities can help the Chiefs improve from their 30th ranked pass offense.

“He’s a big-strong guy that understands his role, whatever that is,” Haley said. “Meaning if we’re running the ball, he’s going to be one of our better blockers. If we’re throwing the ball, he gives us another vertical threat.”

Last season, Urban did not play a regular season game with the Chiefs and hopes to survive training camp to have an opportunity to play for the Chiefs outside of preseason games.

Urban’s journey back to the gridiron begins Friday night when the Chiefs host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.