The Kansas City Chiefs have used the offseason to accumulate assets for this draft. With the annual event now one week away, things are coming down to the final stretch. General manager Brett Veach spoke with members of the media on April 16, giving some insight into where the Chiefs could target.
While needs at edge and cornerback are obvious answers, Veach also spoke about receiver. He was asked where the Chiefs will go at No. 9 and named WR as a possible option.
"Defensive backfield, offensive line, edge rusher, receiver... again, we need help in all those areas. I think we'll be in a position to get one of those players and throughout the course of the draft," per Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports.
While Veach also believes that there's depth in the middle rounds for receivers, the fact that they are open to taking one at No. 9 is telling. And it shows that Rashee Rice may have some long-term competition coming into the room.
Chiefs Looking at WR May Not Be the Best Case for Rashee Rice
Rice is entering the last year of his rookie deal and will be looking for a new contract next offseason. While he has been an effective player when he's been on the field, providing Patrick Mahomes with a No. 1 threat, it hasn't been smooth sailing.
Rice has had some run-ins with the law. This offseason, there were questions about whether he would get suspended after his ex-girlfriend alleged that Rice physically assaulted her in a lawsuit. After an investigation done by the league, they decided not to suspend Rice at all. But this was the second straight offseason that Rice was in the news for bad reasons, as he was driving at 119 MPH in 2024, which led to a chain reaction car crash.
When taking the field in 28 games with the Chiefs, Rice has logged 156 catches (209 targets) for 1,797 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. He made plays for this team, but Kansas City has made sure to do its homework on this receiver class.
The Chiefs brought in five different receivers for Top 30 visits. That list includes Georgia State's Ted Hurst, USC's Makai Lemon, Ohio State's Carnell Tate, Missouri's Kevin Coleman Jr., and Louisville's Chris Bell.
ESPN's Peter Schrager released his first mock draft on April 7 and based those projections on what he's been hearing around the league. In that exercise, he had the Chiefs taking Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson at No. 9 overall.
And since he said this is what he's been hearing, Veach's comments only confirm it. The Chiefs will be sure to add a receiver at some point during the draft, and depending on who it is, it may be a big signal to Rice.
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