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Chris Chambers was a 2nd round pick by the Dolphins in 2001. Chambers was viewed by many as the most talented player on the Dolphins team at times and had several successful seasons in Miami including a 1000-yard receiving year in 2005 that earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl.
Midway through his seventh season in Miami he was traded to San Diego right before the trade deadline for a 2nd round draft pick. Chambers shined in San Diego for the 10 games remaining that 2007 season, accumulating 555 yards receiving (970 total between both the Chargers and Dolphins).
In 2008, Chambers' production dropped. In 14 games (missing two to ankle injury) Chambers had 462 yards receiving. That was the lowest total of his career at that point.
In 2009, his production dipped even more for the Chargers. Through seven games Chambers only had 9 receptions for 122 yards. This was by far the least productive seven game stretch of his career then. Off the field issues, questionable dedication, and poor game play were cited issues the Chargers had with Chambers. And once Malcolm Floyd started emerging as a legitimate receiver, San Diego decided to cut ties with Chambers. He was released on November 2nd.
This is where the Chiefs come in. Chambers was claimed off waivers by Kansas City the next day. Chambers then went on to having a great season with the Chiefs: 9 games, 36 receptions, 608 yards, 4 touchdowns. Two of the nine games he played for the Chiefs were over 100 yard games, including the game against Pittsburgh in which he was on the receiving end of a 61 yard play that set up the game-winning field goal in overtime.
Dwayne Bowe, on-the-other-hand, played in two more games (11 total, missing one to injury an 4 to suspension for banned substance) than Chambers and finished with 19 less yards and the same amount of touchdowns.
Chambers, in many aspects, was one of the Chiefs heroes in 2009. He helped out a poor receiving core in KC and gave it some threat. And in the offseason (March 8th), Chambers was rewarded a 3 year, $12 million contract.
But this season, Chambers hasn't put up those same numbers. Through 14 games, Chambers has only played 11, and caught 17 passes for 174 yards. He's also been targeted 34 times, which only gives him a 50% completion rate. Also, four other players have more receiving yards for the Chiefs than Chambers. No one did last season.
Do I think that Chambers can revert back to his 2009 self and be the number two receiver the Chiefs need? Or is it time to part with a player that is getting payed more than he produces?
I think Chambers can still play. Of those 17 passes he's caught this season, they all seem to be great catches where he's having to reach for it and pull it out of the air (like in St. Louis last week). And I'm still sold on him from last season to be honest.
Although, he has been in coach Haley's "dog house" all season, getting playing time taken away by Terrence Copper and Veran Tucker. Haley has done this sort of thing before and his hope is to get his players to respond and go out there and compete. Although Chambers has said that his healthy scratches from games has made him feel like he did in his final days in San Diego, I believe that Chambers is enough of a competitor to earn back his starting spot and become our solid number two receiver, at least for the remainder of his contract.
Chambers is 32, so when his contract expires, he might not be someone we'd renew. But don't think his age is affecting his playing. Plenty of players his age have success: Deion Branch-31; Terrell Owens-37; Chad Ochocinco-32; Reggie Wayne-32.
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