4 Chiefs WRs on Chopping Block After Mecole Hardman Signing

Brett Veach, Andy Reid, and the rest of the Chiefs brass have interesting decisions ahead this summer at the wide receiver position. After re-signing Super Bowl hero Mecole Hardman to a one-year deal, Kansas City suddenly has a crowded room.

The Chiefs kept seven wideouts last year, though it's possible only six make it this time. At this point, I'd guess seven receivers are on the team given Rashee Rice's pending suspension but it's not set in stone.

Hollywood Brown, Xavier Worthy, Rice, Justin Watson, Skyy Moore, Kadarius Toney, Mecole Hardman, Nikko Remigio, Montrell Washington, Justyn Ross, and others are fighting for those precious few roster spots. With that in mind, let's go through four receivers on the chopping block following Hardman's contract.

4 Chiefs WRs on Chopping Block

1. Kadarius Toney

Kadarius Toney is perhaps the receiver most immediately impacted by Hardman's signing. They both play special teams and similar roles on offense, and Toney's future was already up in the air entering the last year of his rookie contract.

Even if the Chiefs do keep seven wideouts, Toney would be near the back end of that group. His position is not secure and it likely didn't help that he didn't show for optional OTAs. We'll see how he looks at mandatory minicamp June 11-13, though it's hard to imagine a big role for the former first-round pick in this offense.

That said, Brett Veach believes in his talent and Matt Nagy sang his praises earlier this week, so I think the Chiefs want Toney to make the roster. He had only 27 catches for 169 yards and one TD last season but is still dynamic with the ball in his hands and scares defenses.

While that clip was from Toney's pre-draft days, it perfectly summarizes his game. Toney runs a filthy route and creates separation only to drop the pass. Those kinds of plays have happened far too often with the Chiefs. We know the team has faith in Hardman in big moments, so it makes since to bring back a trusted veteran.

I do believe that Toney will still make the roster but his margin for error got much smaller. No one should be surprised if Toney winds up the odd man out after training camp.

2. Skyy Moore

A 2022 second-round pick, Skyy Moore's career hasn't progressed as hoped. He's been floated in trade rumors even before Hardman's signing, so the writing feels like it's on the wall for Moore and this team.

I don't think Moore is in danger of being cut from the 53-man roster. He's still got two years left on his rookie deal and behind Hardman, he's the most experienced WR in this offense. Nonetheless, his snaps were declining even before he was placed on the Injured Reserve list to end last year.

Moore hasn't earned Patrick Mahomes' trust, as big of an indictment as any on the young player.

While Moore's stats are underwhelming, his versatility on offense does give Andy Reid and Matt Nagy options when calling plays. He scored a TD in the Super Bowl thanks to his frequent motion, though it's hard to credit him too much for catching a wide-open pass.

With only 494 career receiving yards, Moore has to step up in a huge way to prove he's ultimately worth a second contract. Now that Hardman is back in the WR room, Moore's opportunities just shrank a bit.

3. Nikko Remigio

2023 undrafted rookie WR Nikko Remigio had been turning heads at OTAs and drawing rave reviews from the coaching staff, though his path to the 53-man roster just got significantly more difficult.

Remigio will now likely need to overtake one of Hardman, Toney, or Moore to stick beyond the practice squad. Given the capital the Chiefs invested in the other three, Remigio is on the outside looking in as things stands. He's got plenty of time to make an impression but he hadn't yet done enough to prevent the franchise from signing Hardman.

Nagy said that Remigio is an "absolute true professional every day in the meeting room, every day at practice." Given his strong work early this summer and popularity in the preseason last year, Remigio would probably be the beneficiary of any injury or extended Rashee Rice suspension.

He's a talented player and can return kicks, so I'm rooting for Remigio to have a stellar summer. If the Chiefs ultimately cut him, I'd be surprised if he wasn't picked up, though I'd love to have the former Fresno State star back on the practice squad.

Remigio will be one of the most interesting players to watch at minicamp and beyond over these next several weeks.

4. Justyn Ross

This looks like the end of the road for Justyn Ross with the Chiefs. There are too many receivers ahead of him on the depth chart and Ross failed to stand out in his limited snaps last year. With more capable players now around like Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy, Ross has a miniscule chance to make the 53-man roster.

He won Chiefs Kingdom over with an excellent preseason but managed only six catches for 53 yards on the season. That's more than someone like Remigio or Montrell Washington had, though early reports indicate the Chiefs favor both of those guys over Ross as things stand.

Ross could still stand out in training camp but I think it's far more likely he winds up on the practice squad than playing with Kansas City.

He's showcased impressive red-zone ability throughout OTAs, theoretically representing a skillset that other Chiefs receivers don't have. Brown, Worthy, Toney, and Hardman are all relatively small. Ross is 6'4", 210 LBs and can high-point a ball in the air to make a contested catch.

Utilizing that skillset is the key to his argument for the roster. The Chiefs have struggled in the red zone in recent years and Ross could help in that area of the field.

However, that was true in the 2023 season as well when Ross barely saw snaps. With how deep Kansas City suddenly is at wide receiver, I think the ship has sailed on Ross' chances with the team.

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