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The Kansas City Chiefs are ready to make up for lost time in the 2025 NFL season. Kansas City came close to completing their three-peat in Super Bowl 59, but lost in epic fashion against Philadelphia. Now the Chiefs understand what they need to do better in 2025 if they want to get back to the Super Bowl.
The Chiefs deserve credit for attacking the 2025 NFL offseason with the proper urgency.
Kansas City added several important players during NFL free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft who should contribute in 2025. Some of the pieces could also be foundational pieces for the next several seasons.
The Chiefs made big investments in their offensive line specifically, signing Jaylon Moore and drafting Josh Simmons to hopefully solve the left tackle position.
Kansas City's coaching staff has already taken a look at their new players in rookie minicamp, OTAs, and mandatory minicamp. But training camp will be the real test.
Which position groups should Chiefs fans pay extra special attention to during training camp?
Below we will explore what could be the fiercest position battle at Chiefs training camp later this month.
Chiefs need to sort out their wide receiver room during training camp
The wide receiver position was a big problem for the Chiefs in 2024. Now it could be a legitimate strength in 2025.
Kansas City has a deep depth chart at receiver, which guarantees that several talented players will be cut at the end of the preseason.
At this point before training camp, there are a few players who seems to be pretty clearly safe.
It would be shocking if the Chiefs did not start Rashee Rice, Hollywood Brown, and Xavier Worthy at the start of the 2025 season.
Rice was sensational during the 2023 season, logging 79 receptions for 938 yards and seven touchdowns. He was one of Mahomes' go-to weapons and absolutely feasted while operating out of the slot.
Sadly, Rice tore his ACL in 2024 and missed the vast majority of the season. He is still recovering but should be ready to contribute by the time the regular season is here.
Rice does have legal issues related to street racing that could become a problem in the future. But for now, the NFL does not seem determined to suspend Rice without any actual legal charges.
If Rice returns to this 2023 form this fall, there's no way the Chiefs will let him leave the field.
Hollywood Brown also suffered a major injury in 2024. Brown suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery to repair, ending his season before it began.
The Chiefs planned to bring their deep passing attack back in 2024, but Brown's injury made that more difficult.
Xavier Worthy was the only one of the trio who played the entire season. The rookie played well, logging 59 receptions for 638 yards and six touchdowns.
He could be a candidate for a breakout seasons, especially if he benefits from softer coverage because of Rice and Brown.
Aside from those three, JuJu Smith-Schuster, rookie Jalen Royals, and Skyy Moore seem to stand above the rest of a crowded position group.
Could an unexpected Chiefs receiver earn a starting job in 2025?
If I had to guess which underrated Chiefs player could earn extra playing time in 2025, I would pick rookie Jalen Royals.
The Chiefs used a fourth-round pick on Royals in the 2025 NFL Draft. Royals is a physical receiver who has a similar build to Commanders WR Deebo Samuel, but a little lighter. Like Samuel, Royals excels at creating yards after the catch and breaking tackles.
His unique skills position him well as a complementary weapon in Kansas City's offense alongside its vertical threats like Worthy and Brown.
Royals started to make a name for himself during the Chiefs' rookie minicamp back in May.
“It’s not even similar to the first day of school,” Royals admitted to The Athletic's Jayna Bardahl after his first day of rookie minicamp.
Royals still performed well during rookie minicamp, battling through his early nerves.
Bardahl also noted that Royals “showcased his quickness and strong hands in position drills. Besides a miss or two over his head, Royals looked mostly reliable.”
Royals also told Bardahl that he watches plenty of tape from Davante Adams and AJ Brown. He is attempting to “piggyback off of what they do.” It seems that Royals is attempting to refine his route running, as Adams and Brown are two of the best in the NFL.
I believe that Royals' best shot at earning a consistent role in 2025 will depend a lot on Travis Kelce.
The Chiefs could manage Kelce's targets this season and may need to rely on different players in the short passing game. Royals could be the main beneficiary of such a shift.
I see Royals as becoming a consistent contributor in Kansas City no later than 2026. But he could accelerate that timeline and ball out in 2025 too.
Chiefs fans should keep an eye on Royals during training camp and the preseason.
