Rashee Rice's looming suspension opens the door for Chiefs WR long shots to shine

The ruling in the Rashee Rice case finally came down on Thursday. A Dallas County judge sentenced the wide receiver to five years of probation and 30 days to be served in jail. Now, from the NFL's side of things, a possible suspension could be announced before the start of the season.

Many names on the Chiefs' wide receiver depth chart will get some sort of new opportunity if and when a Rice suspension is levied. Much of the attention will go to established names like Hollywood Brown, Xavier Worthy, and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Rookie Jalen Royals could very well be thrown into the mix right away, too.

However, some lesser-known wide receivers on the K.C. depth chart are worth keeping in mind. Tyquan Thornton and Jason Brownlee are a pair of players with brief NFL careers who began elsewhere. Meanwhile, a few rookie undrafted free agents are vying for spots in Kansas City. Plus, Nikko Remigio may get more offensive snaps—rather than strictly special-teams opportunities—if Rice misses multiple games.

Tyquan Thornton offers traits Chiefs have gravitated towards

Tyquan Thornton had a rather unfulfilling stint with the New England Patriots as a former second-round pick. Quarterback play also hurt some of his chances. But to this point in his NFL career, Thornton has dealt with injuries, occasional drops, and a lack of nuance as a route runner. That led to him being a healthy scratch at times with the Patriots. And after regime changes, New England eventually let him go last year.

It was not completely surprising to see that the Chiefs were interested in him after Thornton became available. The Baylor product offers some traits that Kansas City has generally gravitated toward. First off, his speed and quickness are among his most notable assets. Thornton clocked a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. He can also be an explosive play threat on deep shots or after the catch.

If Thornton can take advantage of Rice's absence, he could find a specific, schemed role as a direct-touch guy in the quick passing game.

Jason Brownlee has the size Chiefs are lacking at wide receiver

Size is an area where the Chiefs have not dominated the conversation in a long while at the wide receiver position. Among lesser-known wide receivers, Jason Brownlee has that attribute in his bag. He appeared in only seven NFL games with the New York Jets in 2023. Although he doesn't have a lot of reps to his name, his size has seemed to work for Brownlee in various areas of the field.

He has had success over the middle of the field. And if he gets a shot with a passer like Patrick Mahomes, surely his frame could win one-on-one on the outside—vertically or even on back-shoulder throws. If K.C. wants to lean on physical upside, Brownlee could be a name worth monitoring throughout training camp, with Rice possibly being out.

Three UDFA wide receivers look to make a name for themselves

Among the rookie undrafted free agents that the Chiefs brought in this year, three play wide receiver. Elijhah Badger (Florida), Jimmy Holiday (Louisiana Tech), and Mac Dalena (Fresno State) will look to do what others have in past Chiefs training camps as UDFAs. There has been a fair share of undrafted free agents who have shone in camp to make the team.

Badger is likely the most recognizable name among football fans. The 6-foot-1 wide receiver played for the Florida Gators after transferring from Arizona State. In his Gators campaign, Badger tallied over 800 receiving yards. His inconsistency with separation could be a hurdle to monitor during training camp. But in terms of catching the ball cleanly and doing the little details well at the catch point, Badger can create a ton of excitement among UDFAs in camp.

Holiday finished his college career at Louisiana Tech following transfers from Tennessee and Western Kentucky. He was used in a variety of ways during his college career. That versatility could come in handy within a deep and tricky offense like Andy Reid's. With his dense frame, Holiday will look to stake his claim as a UDFA due to his flashiness with the ball in his hands after the catch.

Finally, Dalena is another smaller wide receiver on the Chiefs' depth chart. If you didn’t see his overall size numbers, you wouldn’t expect him to win in the ways that he does. He makes things interesting in contested catches, often winning with toughness at the catch point. Dalena could face the biggest uphill battle of these three UDFA wide receivers, though his competitiveness should not be forgotten come training camp.

Remigio should not be forgotten for offensive role

Nikko Remigio was a spark the Chiefs needed late last year in the kick return and punt return game. His jolts of momentum were especially huge in the playoffs for Kansas City, flipping the field and setting up a limited offense in scoring position. We should not discount Remigio’s chances at more offensive snaps if Rice is suspended.

The catches can be a bit of a roller coaster at times for Remigio. Nonetheless, his threat as an explosive downfield playmaker is what the Chiefs are looking to reinstall into the offense. If they need a few direct shots each game, why not give Remigio those offensive opportunities?