The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 57, giving them their second Lombardi Trophy in four years. If they want to defend their title, they knew that there were a few things that they had to accomplish this offseason.
One of those tasks was replenishing the wide receiver depth on the team. JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman both departed in free agency, signing with the New England Patriots and New York Jets. Somewhat surprisingly, the Chiefs didn’t make any veteran additions in free agency.
Instead, Kansas City is going with a youth movement at wide receiver. The team will be relying on 2022 second-round pick Skyy Moore and 2021 first-round pick Kadarius Toney, who was acquired last season in a trade from the New York Giants. They will likely combine with Marquez Valdes-Scantling to be the top three in the Chiefs’ pecking order at the position.
That is unless someone else emerges from the group and pushes for playing time. Jusytn Ross, who went undrafted out of Clemson in 2022, has been making waves this offseason as someone to keep an eye on. He isn’t the only unheralded receiver making waves, as rookie Rashee Rice is also garnering a lot of attention.
Rice, a second-round pick out of SMU, has consistently showcased his explosive athleticism on the practice field. According to NFL Rookie Watch on Twitter, he is already becoming one of the favorite targets for Patrick Mahomes in the passing game.
Rice’s versatility and incredible athleticism are on display in the videos, as he beats a defender for a long pass during one drill and then is lined up in the backfield as a running back on the next. He could be this year’s version of Hardman, a unique gadget player that the team draws up plays for everywhere on the field.
There are certainly openings in the Chiefs’ aerial attack that are up for grabs. While Moore and Toney are expected to get the first cracks, anyone that can make a strong impression will be able to secure a spot in this high-octane offense.
