The Kansas City Chiefs could make NFL history this season if they were to win Super Bowl LIX. Another Super Bowl win this year would make them the first team ever to win it three times in a row. In order to do so, however, they need to overcome the challenges that every NFL team faces during the regular season.
Like all NFL teams, Kansas City has some concerns with their current roster. Specifically, the wide receiver position leaves a lot to be desired in terms of quality depth. The Chiefs, of course, have proven that they do not need a top-tier number one wide receiver in order to win titles. They have won each of the last two Super Bowls without one.
That being said, the goal of every offseason is to improve the roster, and Kansas City may not have done enough to improve the wide receiver position.
The Kansas City Chiefs Face Several Questions at Wide Receiver
Aside from tight end Travis Kelce, the Chiefs’ biggest pass-catching threat is second-year wide receiver Rashee Rice. As a rookie in 2023, he had 79 receptions for 938 yards and seven touchdowns. Only Kelce has more receptions and receiving yards while no other Chiefs player had as many touchdown receptions.
Unfortunately, it is unclear how available Rice will be for Kansas City this season. Rice was involved in a high-speed car accident in Dallas during the course of the offseason. He allegedly was driving 119 miles per hour and left the scene of the crash before authorities arrived.
Rice is facing several civil suits from victims of the accident. It also is not currently known whether or not the NFL will suspend him. Either trial dates or a possible suspension could affect how many games he will play this season.
Kansas City also parted ways with two-time Super Bowl Champion Marquez Valdes-Scantling this offseason. To replace him as their primary vertical and speed threat, the Chiefs drafted Xavier Worthy, the fastest wide receiver in the NFL Draft. They also acquired Marquis “Hollywood” Brown in free agency.
Worthy is an unproven player in the NFL, and the depth beyond Rice and Brown is not very inspiring. The other players currently competing for spots on the 53-man roster are:
- Justin Watson
- Skyy Moore
- Kadarius Toney
- Justyn Ross
- Mecole Hardman
- Nikko Remigio
- Cornell Powell
- Montrell Washington
- Phillip Brooks
The most controversial of these names is Toney, who opened up the preseason dead last on the Chiefs’ depth chart.
The Kansas City Chiefs Could Reunite with JuJu Smith-Schuster
Earlier today, it was reported that the New England Patriots had released wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who had just 29 receptions for 260 yards and a touchdown for them last season.
Of course, Smith-Schuser won the Super Bowl with Kansas City in 2022 in his lone season with the Chiefs. That year, he had 78 receptions for 933 yards and three touchdowns.
Smith-Schuster has the benefit of already knowing the Chiefs’ offense and would need next-to-no time to get reaquainted with the scheme. He also has proven that he can be a major contributor to the offense as he had his last productive season with Kansas City.
Because the Patriots are going to still pay him the $7 million they owe him for the 2024 season, Kansas City would likely be able to sign him for the minimum.
