The Kansas City Chiefs’ 2025 draft class has a big opportunity to make an impact early in their careers. After falling short in the Super Bowl, the Chiefs had to make some big changes to their roster this offseason and it’s given way to some of the incoming rookies to seize some jobs.
First-round pick Josh Simmons could contribute as soon as he recovers from a torn patellar tendon. Omarr Norman-Lott and Ashton Gillotte could also mix in as weapons for Steve Spagnulo’s defense. But one rookie could have the chance to hit the field early and it could result in taking a veteran’s job by the time they open the season against the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil.
Chiefs Rookie Jalen Royals Could Take Skyy Moore’s Job By Week 1
The Chiefs’ passing attack has been one of the best in the NFL since Patrick Mahomes took over as the full-time starter in 2018. But it lost some of its bite last season. Mahomes’s 3,928 yards were his lowest since taking over as the starter and his 26 touchdowns tied with his 2019 campaign for that honor. While injuries to Rashee Rice and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown watered down the aerial attack, Skyy Moore’s absence was also felt.
Moore was a second-round pick by the Chiefs in the 2022 draft but hasn’t been able to become a reliable target for Mahomes. He caught 22 passes for 250 scoreless yards in his rookie season and didn’t make a sophomore jump with 21 catches for 244 yards. A core muscle injury effectively shut Moore down after six games last season but you wouldn’t have been able to tell he was on the field with no catches on three targets.
The writing appeared to be on the wall for Moore before the draft when Brown returned and Rice expected to come back from his injury. But the Chiefs may have put the final nail in the coffin when they selected Utah State receiver Jalen Royals in the fourth round of last month’s draft.
Royals is coming off his own injury issues as a deltoid tear in his right foot caused him to miss his final five games last season. He was productive when on the field, however, catching 55 passes for 834 yards and six touchdowns in seven games before the injury. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler also commended his athleticism which includes a 4.42-second time in the 40-yard dash and labeled him as a potential second or third round pick.
This is where the opportunity comes in. Rice, Brown and 2024 first-round pick Xavier Worthy are locked into the top three spots in the depth chart and JuJu Smith-Schuster should be considered a favorite to make the team. With four receivers, it leaves one final spot on the depth chart but the Chiefs may be wise to move on from Moore for the younger playmaker.
Royals needs to work on his route running but Andy Reid can find creative ways to get him the ball. If that happens, Moore should be on the way out of Kansas City by the time the 2025 season begins.