Rashee Rice’s misstep is a major opportunity for Jalen Royals and virtually every other receiver on the Kansas City Chiefs’ 90-man offseason roster. Rice will miss OTAs and the team’s mandatory minicamp.
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Kansas City Chiefs WR Rashee Rice’s misstep could open up some opportunities for others on the 90-man offseason roster.
Rice will miss the Chiefs’ voluntary OTAs (May 26-28 and June 1-3) and mandatory minicamp (June 9-11) after violating the conditions of his parole. With Rice set to serve 30 days in jail, other receivers will see an opportunity on the practice field.
No live contact or padded practices will be allowed, but 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills are fair game during this portion of the offseason workout program. Andy Reid often refers to them as “passing camps” because quarterbacks and wide receivers have the most to gain.
Wide Receivers Currently On The Chiefs’ 90-Man Roster
The Chiefs have 13 wide receivers on the 90-man offseason roster, including Rashee Rice. Here are the other 12 players at the position:
- Xavier Worthy
- Tyquan Thornton
- Jalen Royals
- Cyrus Allen
- Nikko Remigio
- Jason Brownlee
- Jimmy Holiday
- Jeff Caldwell
- Omari Evans
- Jacob De Jesus
- Andrew Armstrong
- Xavier Loyd
It’s still unclear if Patrick Mahomes will be able to participate in OTAs, but several receivers could see extra opportunities to impress with Rice not participating.
Chiefs second-year WR Jalen Royals can prove that 2025 was an aberration
Many felt that the Royals’ pick in the 2025 NFL Draft was insurance of sorts in the event of a Rashee Rice suspension. The problem with that is that knee tendinitis sidelined Royals for the majority of training camp, which even lingered into the 2025 NFL season. He appeared in just seven games with two starts, recording three receptions on two targets for four yards. He also had a single kick return for 30 yards. Matt Nagy described Royals as a fast learner, but he didn’t seem to pick up the system in a meaningful way last year. With Rice out, he’ll have a chance to make up for some of those lost reps last season and prove that he can be a contributor in 2026.
Jason Brownlee has already been the beneficiary of Chiefs WR Rashee Rice’s off-field transgressions
Brownlee made the Chiefs’ 53-man roster in 2025 after the NFL suspended Rice for the first six games of the 2026 NFL season. To say that was the sole reason Brownlee made it would discredit standout performances at OTAs, mandatory minicamp, training camp, and the preseason. However, without that roster spot freed by Rice being on the reserve/suspended list, I’m not sure he would’ve made it. He didn’t do much with that opportunity, with one target and no receptions in 6 games. Brownlee also faces a lot more competition now than he did a season ago. That doesn’t mean he can’t overcome it, but he already knows exactly what he needs to do to become valuable to the team.
Chiefs rookie Cyrus Allen can prove a common Andy Reid myth wrong
There’s a recent trend of Chiefs rookie receivers not getting a full workload because of Andy Reid’s complex scheme. Allen has a chance to buck that trend, and his opportunity to do so could start in OTAs and mandatory minicamp. The 5-foot-11 and 180-pound receiver already caught some impressive passes across the middle of the field at rookie minicamp. With the No. 6 overall pick, Mansoor Delane, in coverage at that. I won’t be surprised to see him get some first-team reps early on with Rice not out there. He’s not exactly a 1-to-1 fit for the role. I just think it’s an opportunity for the team to really see what he can do against higher-level competition.
Omari Evans is the UDFA sleeper to know for the Chiefs
Jeff Caldwell already has a fan club (myself included), but Evans might be a better fit to take advantage of Rice’s absence from a physique and skill set standpoint. First of all, he’s just under 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds. That’s a few inches and nine pounds short of what Rice is listed at for Kansas City. As far as the skill set goes, Evans is faster than Rice with 4.28s speed. He’s played more outside receiver than he has played slot receiver in college. However, he still has 225 snaps in the slot. Rice has dominated the “power slot” role in the NFL, using his size, speed, and physicality to become an elite yards-after-catch receiver. Evans feels like someone who could slot in nicely there.
Jimmy Holiday might be the Chiefs receiver with the most to gain
A few other players will be bumped up the depth chart with Rice absent. As a result, Holiday will have a chance to further prove himself on both offense and special teams. He’s already defied the odds in Kansas City, making the 90-man offseason roster in 2025 after a tryout at rookie minicamp. He didn’t make the Chiefs’ 53-man roster last season, but he stuck on the practice squad virtually all year. When Holiday re-signed a reserve/future deal with the team for 2026, it wasn’t just as a placeholder. He didn’t get bumped for UDFAs or free agents. The team has kept him on the 90-man roster for a reason. Part of that is because he’s a fine special teams player. Holiday also had a 50-yard reception in the Week 3 preseason game against the Chicago Bears. It’s also worth noting that he’s listed at 6-foot-1 and 211 pounds. Rice is 6-foot-1 and 204 pounds.
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