Heading into Kansas City Chiefs training camp, one of the most interesting position battles was going to be for the final wide receiver spot. Although the No.6 wide receiver can be called on to help the offense, that spot typically goes to a return specialist. However, the Chiefs have multiple players who have the ability to return kickoffs and punts.
As a result, a fierce battle for that job was expected. That said, after Kansas City's first four practices, it seems that one Chief has the clear lead in this battle.
According to Chiefs Blitz on Twitter, during his press conference on Friday, special teams coordinator Dave Toub said, "Nikko [ Remigio] is far and above everybody else right now. He just keeps getting better; he doesn’t make any mistakes. He will catch every ball, and he’s dependable. I’m excited about Brashard Smith too". Though Remigio's roster security was questioned before the start of camp, early signs point to him being safe.
“Nikko is far and above everybody else right now. He just keeps getting better, he doesn’t make any mistakes. He will catch every ball and he’s dependable. I’m excited about Brashard Smith too!”
— Chiefs Blitz (@ChiefsBlitz) July 25, 2025
— ST Coach Dave Toub talking about the returner battle.
Nikko Remigio Starts Training Camp on the Right Foot
Toub's comments about Remigio shouldn't be a huge surprise to Chiefs fans. Last year, when the 25-year-old took over return duties, he impressed. During the 2024 regular season and postseason, Remigio returned 14 punts for 161 yards and 21 kickoffs for 596 yards.
In 35 combined returns, he never muffed a kick, so having that reiterated by Toub makes sense. The one big issue with Remigio was his inability to be reliable on offense.
Therefore, Toub's excitement about Brashard Smith on special teams should be noted. The seventh-round pick has been making noise early on in camp as a wide receiver. While pads haven't come on to evaluate him as a running back yet, the early returns on the pick seem good.
Nevertheless, the fact that Toub pointed out how well Remigio is doing as a returner speaks volumes to his chances of making the roster. Still, it is early on in training camp, which means things can change.
Both Chiefs Kingdom and Toub must evaluate how the return game looks during preseason games. If Remigio outshines Smith as a returner and improves as a receiver, he will have the roster spot. But if it ends up going the other way, Toub's early comments on Remigio may not mean anything.