The Chiefs lost two of their key receivers from 2022 to the AFC East, as JuJu Smith-Schuster signed with the Patriots and Mecole Hardman signed with the Jets in free agency.
But the group that catches passes from two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes should still be set up to succeed in the coming season.
Kansas City still has Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who signed with the club last offseason. Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore should be better in their second year with the Chiefs. Plus, the receiving corps added Rashee Rice out of SMU in the second round of the draft.
While Travis Kelce is a tight end, he’s certainly going to get his share of targets and receptions, too.
Last week, Mahomes was asked about his overall impression of the receiving corps.
“I think we’re deep. I think that’s the biggest thing,” Mahomes said in his press conference. “Usually, you have a good feel for kind of who the guys are going to be and everything like that but with this group, it’s like every single guy I could see him making a path to making the team. And so, I mean that’s what you want. You want that competition.
“I thought even the young guys that have stepped in have stepped in and done a lot of great things and guys from other systems have stepped in and done great things. So, (there’s) a lot of competition in that room will play out through OTAs and camp but I’m happy with where we’re at in that receiving room.”
With Rice specifically, Mahomes said he likes the feel the rookie has for running routes.
“I could feel where he would sit there and he would listen to guys like Trav, he would listen to Kadarius and those guys would talk and he would get a feel for how he was running the route,” Mahomes said. “And obviously, you know he has the explosiveness and the jump ball ability. But the way he was able to kind of feel throughout the zone coverages and pull up in the right spot, that’s more of a veteran-type mindset for a receiver so, I was very excited about that.
“And now we’ll just continue to work him in here and there and continue to push him to be better and better and he’ll have an impact in this offense this year.”
Though the Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill last offseason, they still finished No. 1 in points scored and total yards. At this point, there’s no reason to think they won’t be a top-five offensive team once again in 2023.
