Who will survive Chiefs' roster bubble at receiver? Where each candidate stands

New York Times

a day ago

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid said he's happy that his team has two more preseason games to evaluate receivers.
It won't be easy, he said, to make a final call there for Kansas City's initial 53-man roster.
'Listen, we'll have a tough decision to make — (general manager) Brett (Veach) will and the coaches,' Reid said earlier this week. 'There's some good players there. We'll just see how it sorts out here.'
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For now, the Chiefs seem to have five absolute locks in Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster and fourth-round pick Jalen Royals.
Beyond that, though, is where things get complicated.
Start with this: The NFL is likely to suspend Rice to start the season as punishment for a 2024 road racing incident. Though Rice would be an exception to the 53-man roster under the 'Reserved/Suspended' list, his absence could create the need for another true wideout on the roster.
The Chiefs kept seven receivers on their initial 53-man roster the last two seasons, but they've also gone as low as five in other years under Reid.
So, who are the candidates to win those final roles? And where do they stand now?
Here's a closer look at the four leading contenders.
Maybe it's too conservative not to make Thornton a lock at this point, like the five above.
This much is clear, though: The Chiefs love Thornton and envision a role for him this season, meaning something would have to go wrong over the next two weeks to change their minds.
Thornton, a 2022 second-round pick of the Patriots, joined Kansas City's practice squad late last season and has taken off since. Coaches love his speed — he ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine — and he seems to perfectly fit in a role Justin Watson played for the Chiefs over the last three seasons.
The offense often needs field-spacers, pushing wideouts deep downfield to occupy defenders in the hopes of opening up other guys underneath. Thornton has the speed to do that while also helping out in another area — special teams — where Watson also was a solid contributor.
Thornton should be involved in the Chiefs' kickoff return game, and is also being trained as a gunner on the punt team. Those are important roles to fill for guys who are potentially looking to take up back-end roster spots.
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Can the Chiefs get some juice out of him offensively, too? We'll see. They showed trust in him during the first preseason game, playing him every snap of their opening drive, and Reid commented during camp that it appears Thornton is earning quarterback Patrick Mahomes' trust.
It'd be a shock if Thornton doesn't make the roster. He's been one of the top risers over the last month, likely earning the chance to show what he can do in regular-season games.
This is where things actually start to get complicated … and where roster construction could ultimately come into play.
The 5-foot-9, 187-pound Remigio is unquestionably the team's best kickoff and punt returner — a talent he flashed when he returned a kickoff 48 yards in the first preseason game.
Nikko Remigio with a 48 Yard Kick Return to start the 2nd Quarter pic.twitter.com/eixrMHz31x
— CJ (@cjeezy81) August 10, 2025
But will that be enough for him to solidify a spot with the initial 53?
'We know what Nikko can do (on special teams),' Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub said Tuesday. 'He needs to do a lot more on offense, which he has. We'll just keep working him in there.'
Remigio has noticeably gotten more first-team reps at receiver this week, with the team seemingly wanting to get a longer look at him with the top guys.
The reality is, though: Remigio is limited physically. He's not tall or particularly fast, meaning he's capped in what he can provide if asked to play an offensive role.
But Remigio remains a coach's favorite because of his work ethic. He can be trusted to line up in the correct spot, and though he'd likely be limited to short-burst routes, he's also not likely to ruin a play's concept because he's freelancing or not understanding where he's supposed to be.
'He's another guy … (he) just knows everything. Knows all the spots,' Chiefs receivers coach Connor Embree said. 'I have no problem throwing him in if someone's tired or has a hammy. He'll get in there. He'll know exactly what to do.'
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That still hints at Remigio's limitations as a receiver. The Chiefs will not ask him to win downfield routes, nor should they, given his athletic profile.
This could lead the front office to have a difficult conversation in the next two weeks: Could the team still retain Remigio even if it cuts him? Remigio made it back to the practice squad after not making the initial 53 last season, and one wonders if there could be a similar path this year as the Chiefs try to keep as many resources as possible.
If Rice is suspended, the Chiefs might need receiver depth early in the season. That isn't Remigio's strength, and could be a part of what's discussed as the Chiefs narrow their roster in a few weeks.
It's easy to potentially write off Moore given his lack of game production recently.
The Chiefs second-round pick in 2022 hasn't caught an NFL pass since Dec. 3, 2023. Last year, he was unproductive before a season-ending injury, and in the first preseason game this year he was quiet, catching no passes with one target.
The Chiefs seem determined to continue giving Moore chances to break through, even as he struggles with some confidence issues shaped by his past. And, perhaps to the surprise of many Chiefs fans, he continues to get quite a few first-team reps in camp.
It's easy to forget how young the fourth-year player still is. Moore only turns 25 next month, and though he doesn't excel in any area, he's likely the most well-rounded receiver left in this group of four when it comes to the nuances of the position.
Like Remigio, Moore knows the offense. He'll be in the right spot and can be counted on to execute his assignment properly.
He's shiftier than Remigio, though, and has the potential to beat press coverage off the line. He can also be utilized on intermediate routes, while flashing some yards-after-catch potential when he makes receptions during camp drills.
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All this doesn't matter, though, if Moore can't regain Mahomes' trust after some drops in past seasons.
Moore is well-liked in the locker room, and certainly, coaches would love to see what might happen if a couple of good plays go his way so he can build on that success.
For now, though, the Chiefs remain in wait-and-see mode as Moore battles for his roster spot.
One other complicating factor is Moore's draft stock. As an example: Thornton was taken four picks before Moore in the 2022 NFL Draft, and he reportedly had more than a dozen NFL suitors after he was released by the Patriots last year before landing on the Chiefs' practice squad.
If Moore is cut, there's a strong likelihood another NFL team will be interested. Could that be a tiebreaker that keeps him on the Chiefs?
Brownlee, a former Jets receiver, is similar to Remigio in that he has one standout skill.
And he showed it in the preseason victory Saturday against the Arizona Cardinals. The 6-3, 202-pound Brownlee is a red zone, jump-ball specialist.
Patrick Mahomes to Jason Brownlee for a beautiful back shoulder TD!
Stream on @NFLPLus pic.twitter.com/hCRwwx9Uoy
— NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2025
'We saw in the game,' Embree said, 'he's got a crazy catch radius.'
But will the Chiefs use this if Brownlee makes the roster?
There's certainly reason for skepticism there. Mahomes has historically been one of the quarterbacks least likely to throw these types of passes, though he acknowledged earlier this month he hopes to change that this season.
'We definitely want to push the ball down the field and push the ball into tighter windows this year,' Mahomes said on Aug. 7. 'I mean, we got the guys that can make the contested catches.'
Perhaps the best sign for Brownlee is that Reid has already shown a tendency to put him in a position where he can succeed.
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After the Chiefs recovered a Cardinals fumble on the opening kickoff, Reid was quick to put Brownlee in on first-and-goal from the 1, even though Brownlee typically doesn't run with the top offense in practices. It was the third snap of the game.
Brownlee delivered with his twisting touchdown catch, giving a glimpse of what he can provide if left on the roster as a wideout specialist.
That likely won't be enough to secure a spot. Brownlee will have to show he's capable on special teams, while also making enough future offensive plays to convince the Chiefs they have no choice but to keep him.
He is different than the other guys, however, which could play in his favor.
Chiefs assistant general manager Mike Bradway said oftentimes the goal of constructing a roster of receivers is to treat it like a basketball team. Or, more specifically, to create a group of players with complementary characteristics.
'I think we have a lot of talented players in the room. There's a lot of really good competition,' Bradway said about the receivers. 'But I think you can balance speed, physicality, run after catch, special teams aspect … you want to have a lot of diversity in the room in terms of skill sets.'
The Chiefs know they have some tough decisions ahead at receiver, which only makes the next two preseason games more critical.
(Photo of Nikko Remigio: Christian Petersen / Getty Images)
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