Byron Pringle became a regular contributor for the Chiefs in 2021 -- what are our predictions for his free agency landing spots in 2022?
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Pringle stepped up last season even while teammate Mecole Hardman took a slight step forward, too. It could be said that Pringle replaced Sammy Watkins while cutting into a borderline prime/post-prime Travis Kelce, whose per-game targets dipped from 9.7 in 2020 to 8.4, while his per-game yards dropped from 94 to 70.
These numbers might seem small, but they’re part of a larger story of a team that didn’t get what they needed from Watkins in 2020 — and likely understood the 32-year-old Kelce could not sustain his historically absurd TE production.
To his credit, Pringle has defied the odds for years. He first played college ball at Butler Community College. And after transferring to Kansas State University, he was probably more heralded for his return skills than his receiving prowess, despite serving as KSU’s No. 1 receiver in both years he played there. Subsequently, when he finally saw the field for the Chiefs in 2019 and 2020, he was the No. 6 receiving option (or No. 8 if we count their catch-capable backfield).
So, in examining where Pringle might go next, we have to understand and appreciate his highly unlikely path from playing at a community college to owning a key role on a Super Bowl-caliber team. A lot of teams could use someone like Pringle, who’s proven he can play effectively on the biggest stages and alongside the steepest competition.