6:57pm: In addition to confirming the signing of Avant, the Chiefs announced that they have placed fellow receiver A.J. Jenkins, who had just nine receptions for 93 yards this season, on injured reserve.
3:38pm: Three days after he was waived by the Panthers and one day after their receivers were quiet again in a loss to the Raiders, the Chiefs brought in Jason Avant for a workout and will sign him to a contract, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links).
Avant, 31, signed with Carolina in the offseason as a free agent, and grabbed 21 balls for 201 yards and a touchdown during his time with the club. The Panthers cut him earlier this week after he questioned the team’s play-calling in Sunday’s loss to the Falcons, though head coach Ron Rivera insisted the move was unrelated to Avant’s comments, and reflected the team’s desire to give its younger wideouts more playing time.
By signing with the Chiefs, Avant will join perhaps the least productive receiving corps in all of football in 2014. Improbably, no Kansas City wide receivers have caught a touchdown this season — Alex Smith has tossed 13 TD passes, but all of them have been caught by a tight end or a running back.
The Chiefs don’t currently have an opening on their 53-man roster, so a corresponding move will be necessary to accommodate the addition of Avant.
Maybe Jason Avant will be the first KC wide receiver to score a TD this year! It’s amazing that they have gone 11 games without a WR catching a TD pass.