8 Chiefs Whose Stock is Rising After OTAs

The Kansas City Chiefs are in the thick of the NFL offseason with Tuesday marking the start of the team's third and final organized team activity (OTA) sessions. It's the last chance that the coaching staff will have to get a good look at the 90-man roster before the mandatory minicamp opens on June 11.

While certain players haven't shown much during OTAs, others have capitalized on every opportunity they've seen. If certain standout individuals can continue to impress the coaches, media, and fans alike, there's a decent chance that they could see meaningful playing time come September.

With that in mind, here are eight Chiefs whose stock is on the rise heading into next week's mandatory minicamp.

1. Marquise Brown, WR

One of the Chiefs' biggest offseason moves saw them sign veteran wideout Marquise Brown to a one-year worth up to $11 million. Nicknamed "Hollywood," Brown was brought in to provide Patrick Mahomes with a potential No. 1 wideout that he hasn't had since Tyreek Hill left town.

Fortunately, it hasn't taken Brown long to fit in with his new team. The former 1,000-yard WR has looked great tracking deep balls — something Kansas City struggled with last season — throughout OTAs and has even earned praise from Mahomes, who's had to remind the Chiefs' defenders that Brown "can really go."

Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has even sung Brown's praises, gushing about how well the latter has tracked deep balls this spring. That's the type of compliment that Chiefs fans love to hear for the newcomer, especially considering how Rashee Rice's playing future is up in the air.

Brown hasn't hit the 1,000-yard mark since 2021, leaving time to tell if linking up with Mahomes changes that trend. The 27-year-old playmaker's arrival to Kansas City has gone swimmingly thus far, so let's hope that he can bring that momentum into the mandatory minicamps and beyond.

After all, the Chiefs' chances of a three-peat could hinge on the Mahomes-Brown connection this season.

2. Nikko Remigio, WR

Brown isn't the only Kansas City wideout who's been garnering attention for all the right reasons this offseason. Former California/Fresno State pass-catcher Nikko Remigio has also increased his stock with a solid OTA showing.

After racking up nearly 1,800 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns across five collegiate seasons, Remigio joined the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent following the 2023 NFL Draft. The Orange, CA native immediately impressed coaches and his peers throughout training camp and showed a glimpse of his potential by racking up 71 yards on four receptions in his lone preseason appearance.

Unfortunately, Remigio never got to prove himself during the regular season. He was added to the practice squad following the preseason but spent the entire 2023 campaign on the injured reserve due to a combination of wrist and shoulder injuries.

But while some players would let a de-railed rookie season get the better of them, that isn't the case with Remigio. The 24-year-old wideout has quickly become a fan favorite due to his OTA performance both on and off the field, leading to OC Nagy labeling him as an "absolute true professional." That's the sort of quality that can make a difference when it comes to cutting down the roster.

Remigio will see plenty of competition to crack the 53-man group, but it's clear that he's firmly in the mix. If he can remain healthy and successfully follow up on his previous preseason performance, there's a decent chance that he'll have a role once the regular season begins.

3. Louis Rees-Zammit, KR/RB

Chiefs fans didn't know what to expect from Louis Rees-Zammit when the Chiefs signed him back in March. After all, the 23-year-old had made a name for himself as a rugby player and didn't play football growing up, seemingly putting him at a disadvantage against his peers.

Fast forward to OTAs where Rees-Zammit has received nothing but praise as he transitions into a new career. The Welsh talent's blistering speed and rugby background had him looking like he'd make for a decent running back, however, the Kansas City coaches are leaning towards him becoming the team's top kick returner.

Special teams coordinator Dave Toub has shouted Rees-Zammit's praises to the heavens, telling reporters on May 30 that the latter is a "great athlete" who's "done above and beyond what's expected."

With kickers potentially taking on a bigger tackling role due to the NFL's new kickoff rules, the Chiefs have even considered using the former rugby stud as a kicker. Toub told reporters last week that the coaches have floated around the idea of using Rees-Zammit for kickoffs while allowing Harrison Butker to kick field goals.

Being able to excel in multiple roles is never a bad thing for an NFL player. Just look at how Taysom Hill has made himself irreplaceable to the New Orleans Saints due to his ability to throw, catch, and run the ball. That isn't to say that Rees-Zammit will be as impactful as Hill, but it's clear that he's someone who the Chiefs could benefit from having on the roster.

4. Chukwuebuka Godrick, OT

With Donovan Smith leaving town as a free agent this offseason, the Chiefs opened the spring looking for a new starting left tackle. With a training camp battle for the role likely looming, one candidate who's emerged is none other than Chukwuebuka Godrick.

Godrick's impressive OTA performance is somewhat surprising given that his offseason started on the wrong fit. The Nigerian offensive tackle — along with fellow blocker Wanya Morris — was arrested for possession of marijuana last month. Although it was far from a serious charge, Kansas City fans wondered if the arrest would negatively impact either player's workouts.

The good news is that the arrest hasn't affected Godrick during OTAs. Although he still has areas to approve upon, like any young player, offensive line coach Andy Heck sees Godrick as "an exciting developmental guy" who has "been doing very well this spring."

Covering Mahomes' blindside is an honor, which is why it was a big deal that Godrick saw reps as the starting left tackle last Thursday. While we're only in OTAs at the moment, we'll have a better idea of how the Chiefs view the up-and-comer if he continues to see first-team opportunities during minicamp and into the preseason.

Kansas City took a risk when it selected Godrick through the NFL International Player Pathway Program last year. Gambles don't always pay off, but it's clear that this one just might.

5. Kadarius Toney, WR

Even though the Chiefs won the Super Bowl (again) last season, certain players left the fanbase craving more. One of the biggest 2023 underperformers was none other than Kadarius Toney.

While Toney showed plenty of promise during his rookie year, his run with the Chiefs has been largely forgettable. He's suited up in a total of 20 games in a Kansas City uniform over the last two seasons, catching only 41 balls for 340 receiving yards and three touchdowns. To understand how bad he's been, Mahomes — arguably the greatest QB on the planet — only registered a 66.7 passer rating when targeting him last year.

To put things into perspective, a season-long passer rating at that rate would've ranked ninth-worst among 59 eligible QBs last season.

Many fans were ready to write Toney off, but he's slowly begun to reverse those opinions this offseason. OC Nagy has described the 25-year-old WR as "special" while mentioning how he wants to put him in "the right spot" to succeed going forward. The ultimate goal is for Toney to stick with "simple" play calls so that he can let his talent do the talking.

If Nagy and the rest of the staff can get the most out of Toney, the passing game could be even more lethal than ever before. Average Joe wideouts don't register 10 catches for 189 receiving yards as a rookie, so hopefully the Chiefs can successfully get Toney back to playing confidently so he can reach those heights again.

6. Jared Wiley, TE

With Travis Kelce's career slowly winding down, the Chiefs decided to search for their next potential No. 1 tight end at the NFL Draft. Their search ultimately led them to TCU prospect Jared Wiley, whom they decided to draft with this year's 131st overall selection.

Although Wiley wasn't the most productive pass-catcher early in his collegiate career, his 2023 performance was enough to get Kansas City fans hyped. The ex-Horned Frog racked up 520 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on 47 targets in his final year at TCU, earning first-team All-Big 12 honors for his work.

While it might take some fourth-round picks a bit of time to garner attention, Wiley has done so almost right out of the gate. The coaching staff has raved about how the rookie has quickly understood head coach Andy Reid's lingo with TE coach Tom Melvin stating that Wiley is improving each day.

"[Wiley's] done a nice job doing that. He’s playing a little bit faster every day we go, so it’s good to see. He has a long way to go, but we’re encouraged with where he’s at and what he’s been doing.”"

Tom Melvin on Jared Wiley

Considering how last year's TCU offense shared similarities with Kansas City's attack, Wiley is on the right path to making a name for himself. If he can continue to learn and soak in any information thrown his way, the Chiefs are in good shape for when Kelce finally decides to hang up his cleats.

7. Carson Wentz, QB

Good impressions during OTAs aren't only important for younger players, but for veterans, too. The Chiefs signed nine-year pro Carson Wentz to serve as Patrick Mahomes' backup quarterback for the 2024 NFL season.

While Wentz likely won't see much playing time due to Mahomes' presence, the Chiefs coaching staff is thrilled to have him around. Andy Reid only had good things about the 31-year-old signal-caller at the end of May, mentioning how "crisp" and "smart" Wentz has looked and that the latter has brought nothing but good vibes to the QB room.

Even Travis Kelce couldn't help be hide his excitement. Kelce has been privileged to have spent the back half of his career with Mahomes, but that didn't stop him from mentioning how Wentz has been "absolutely killing it" and that he has what it takes to "help this team out in the long run."

There's no denying who the Chiefs' QB1 is, but having a reliable backup is never a bad thing. Whether Mahomes has to leave a game during a blowout or becomes banged up at any point next season, Kansas City fans can breathe easily knowing that the team has one of the most capable backups behind him.

8. Jaden Hicks, SS/FS

The Chiefs exited the 2024 NFL Draft with seven new rookies in their possession, including Jaden Hicks. The former Washington State defensive back was projected to be a second-round pick by some draft experts, so the fact that he fell to Kansas City in Round 4 was enough to excite the fanbase.

As OTAs reach the final stress, it seems like the Chiefs coaches have loved what they've seen from Hicks so far. Defensive backs coach Dave Merritt has been "thrilled" to have Hicks on the roster and that the latter "got some skills where he can play a lot of different [positions]."

According to Chiefs insider Jesse Newell, Merritt has been using Hicks at both safety positions, as well as a sixth man in dime coverage. The DBs coach added that Hicks — who stands at 6-foot-1 and weighs 215 pounds — has the physical and mental qualities "to be a really good football player in this league."

Considering how he's also spent one-on-one time with defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, the Chiefs clearly think highly of Hicks.

Let's just hope that he can turn his offseason hype into regular-season results because Kansas City's secondary — which was among the NFL's best last season — will be even more dangerous with Hicks playing to his potential.

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