There’s no shortage of drama with the Kansas City Chiefs. And there’s plenty of top-end Madden 25 talent in the house. But every team has its ups and downs, and the Chiefs have two players struggling early during NFL training camp.
At the head of the list is wide receiver Skyy Moore. Drafted in the second round (No. 54 overall) in 2022, Moore seemed headed for stardom on the other end of quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ magical arm. But in two seasons he’s hardly been noticed. His total of 43 catches for 494 yards and one measly touchdown point to a second-team scout player.
Since the Chiefs beefed up their wide receiver room for 2024, Moore is in danger of looking for NFL work elsewhere.
The other player who is fighting to maintain a roster position despite some struggles is Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
What does Chiefs WR Skyy Moore need in order to stick around?
Some factors are working in Moore’s favor. One is Rashee Rice’s potential multi-game suspension. It could open up a roster spot for as much as a half season’s worth of games. That’s important for a guy who currently sits in the No. 7 spot of what may be a six-man position battle.
Moore received support from his head coach, so at least there’s that. According to marca.com, Reid said Moore’s experience is valuable.
“Listen, he's a few years into this thing now,” Reid said. “Just cut loose and play, and let's not think through it. Go play. And he's doing a nice job of that. He's actually playing good football right now.”
As for Moore himself, he’s not giving in to any naysayers. According to si.com, Moore is brushing aside the individually rough 2023 season.
“Honestly, I feel like it just, like you said, just didn't happen,” Moore said. “I came up here, put the work in, did what I had to do and sometimes it just doesn't go the way you planned it to. Get right back on the horse and keep riding.”
And that look-forward outlook is what Moore appears to be banking on for 2024.
“Just another year,” Moore said. “Coming into my third season, I feel prepared. I know everything. I know what to expect and everything. So I feel like I'm just coming to work.”
One thing that could work in Moore’s favor is better health. He battled with a knee injury last year that he tried to play through before succumbing to a stint on injured reserve. Coming in training camp, he’s healthy and believes he’s on the same page with quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
“I'm just coming in every day, the same person,” Moore said. “Just putting the work in. I believe that once you put the work in, the rest is not up to me. I just want to focus on what I can control and just keep getting better.”
But even if Rice gets suspended, Moore still falls way down the pecking order. Marquise Brown should thrive with Mahomes to get him the ball, and first-round rookie Xavier Worthy appears to be a Week 1 starter. Then there’s Justin Watson and Mecole Hardman, followed by Kadarius Toney — who is a player Moore likely needs to beat out for the last spot.
As usual, Reid has been a lone drum beater for Toney. He told Pro Football Talk, via si.com, that Toney is a superb talent.
“Kadarius is arguably one of the most talented guys we have on the team,” Reid said. “It’s just a matter of being healthy and being able to stay on the field and you always hear about the reliability, accountability, all those things that go into it. Listen, we like Kadarius. It’s just a matter of having him on the field.”
Will RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire make the cut?
It certainly didn’t hurt Edwards-Helaire cause to sign a team-friendly deal for 2024. And when the dust settles he may come out on the right side of things. But he still likely needs a good camp to make it happen.
Edwards-Helaire not only is battling for a roster spot, but recently opened up on kmbc.com about his struggles with PTSD.
“It just takes the courage to talk about it,” Edwards-Helaire said. “Having PTSD and dealing with it is not something I want to talk about. It’s not something I can pinpoint and know what will happen. But talking and getting over the hump personally, and being able to know everybody goes through things, good and bad. Everybody’s human. I’m 25 years old and trying to have the rest of my life healthy.”
Edwards-Helaire’s career started with a bang as he rushed for 8-3 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie in 2020. Unfortunately, his yardage totals have declined every year since with 517 in 2021, 302 in 2022, and 223 last year. His touchdown totals also declined after year two with three in 2022 and one last year.
Who leads the backfield mix?
The Chiefs have a clear-cut No. 1 running back in Isaiah Pacheco. He brings an angry runner to the Chiefs backfield, a needed tough piece for an offense that often relies on finesse. And if Pacheco improves as a pass-catcher and pass-protector, he could become a top-10 player in the league.
Edwards-Helaire told si.com he wanted to stay in Kansas City, even in the backup role.
“KC literally is home,” Edwards-Helaire said. “I left Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where I was born and raised and (was) drafted to the middle of the country where everybody was telling me it’s the best place on earth. The only thing I could do was embrace it. I was doing the thing I loved, playing football, and grew the most in these last five years.”
And Edwards-Helaire said he loves his teammates.
“(I’m) understanding the offense I've been in (and) having Pat lead me in the direction of the things that he sees from a quarterback standpoint,” he said. “And I've said it in multiple interviews, having Travis (Kelce), he's someone that's been in my corner and picked me up in my lowest of lows. And then when I was at my highest of highs, he's been there trying to put a rocket on my back. You just have that camaraderie and just from upstairs on down, you just get those things.”
To stay with the Chiefs, Edwards-Helaire will need to hold off Deneric Prince and Keaontay Ingram. Prince is a first-year player from Tulsa while Ingram was a sixth-round pick in 2022 by Arizona. He had 62 carries for 134 yards in two seasons with the Cardinals.
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