The Kansas City Chiefs have engaged in an interesting bit of roster manipulation centered around cutdown day on Tuesday, as they knew ahead of time that star wide receiver Rashee Rice would be suspended for the first six games to start the year. After surprisingly letting go of some veterans who were expected to make the 53-man roster, things are shaping up again. One of the most noteworthy moves was the re-signing of Robert Tonyan, reported as official by Adam Schefter on Friday, who is now the fourth tight end on the roster.
Carrying four tight ends is unusual (most teams have three on their 53-man roster), and not something a team would do without good reason. Unfortunately, that “good reason” might be bad news for rookie second-round pick Jalen Royals.
Chiefs’ Robert Tonyan Signing Reinforces Concerning Jalen Royals Reports
This move could mean a lot of things, especially because it wasn’t exactly unexpected after Rashee Rice’s suspension. However, a recent report from ESPN’s Nate Taylor that fourth-round rookie Jalen Royals could miss up to the first month of the season and even be placed on injured reserve complicates matters.
It’s worth noting that fellow Chiefs insider Matt Derrick believes that Royals will be available in Week 1. That said, actions speak louder than words, and Kansas City just made a decision that implies the Utah State rookie won’t be on the field in Brazil.
That the coaching staff and front office were so steadfast on ensuring pass-catching options were available says it all. Having Xavier Worthy, a banged-up Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown, and JuJu Smith-Schuster as your top three receivers can be dicey despite Worthy’s promise. Travis Kelce and Noah Gray are reliable of course, and there was a thought that Royals could step in with upwards of 30% snaps in the first week.
Based on this recent news, though, it looks unlikely. If he even plays in Week 1, Royals will, in all likelihood, be limited to a 20-25% type of role. Andy Reid’s rookie receivers typically have a long learning curve, Rice and Worthy notwithstanding, so it’s unrealistic to expect Royals to put up 50+ yards in the first game of his career.
Tonyan is a 31-year-old tight end who has caught passes from Hall of Famers like Aaron Rodgers. He knows the intricacies of offenses and how to manipulate a defense, which gives him an edge. Bringing him up suggests that Reid believed he needed more weapons on offense, and Tonyan could fulfill a Royals role.
Obviously, the franchise isn’t going to release Royals. It just has to find ways to replace him until he gets healthy. Nikko Remigio, Tyquan Thornton, and even Jason Brownlee could see targets, as it’s becoming increasingly clear that Royals will miss at least one game. Safe money is on him missing multiple, though it’s far from certain at this point.
Here’s hoping Royals gets on the field and Tonyan is there to support him, giving Kansas City even more options on offense during a critical four-game stretch to start the season.
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‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source kckingdom.com ’
