Since winning a Super Bowl in 2022 with the Chiefs, former Packers receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling has struggled to find success. He was a member of Kansas City’s title repeat squad in ’23, even bringing in a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl, but without the same impact. 17 days after raising the Lombardi Trophy, the Chiefs released Scantling to save themselves a $12 million cap hit.
It’s been downhill ever since. After joining the 49ers’ practice squad days before the season, Scantling made the 53-man roster but did not last long. A calf injury sustained this week in practice prompted the team to place him on injured reserve, where he will miss a league-mandated minimum of four games. If San Francisco wasn’t already so gutted by injuries, Scantling would hardly be missed. His career didn’t take long to fall off the tracks after he left Green Bay following the 2021 season.
Rough go for Valdes-Scantling extends to ’25 campaign
For a 5th-round pick out of UCF, Scantling carved out a pretty solid first four seasons with the Packers: 123 catches on 247 targets for 2,153 yards and 13 TDs. In 2020, his best season in the league, he led the NFL with 20.9 average yards per catch. Scantling was limited to just 11 games in ’21, however, and the Packers let him walk rather than give him the three-year, $30 million contract, including $15 million guaranteed, that the Chiefs did.
Jan 24, 2021; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (83) runs the ball against Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting (23) during the fourth quarter in the NFC Championship Game at Lambeau Field . Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Now 31, Scantling seems to be nearing the end of his playing days. Wherever he’s gone, he just hasn’t been able to stick.
Given the boot by Kansas City, Scantling signed with the conference rival Bills but caught just two passes before being shipped to New Orleans mid-season. Seattle gave him a contract ahead of the 2025 campaign, then released him after he underwhelmed in training camp. Even on a 49ers squad with players dropping like flies, Scantling failed to establish much of a role. In five games this season, he has four receptions for 40 yards. The earliest he can return is November 16, but whether he will, and what kind of role, if any, he would have remains uncertain.
’22 with the Chiefs was the last time Scantling amassed even 420 receiving yards. Based on his current trajectory, he does not seem likely to reach that threshold again.
Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (11) celebrates a touchdown catch against the San Francisco 49ers in the second half in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
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