Eight receivers on Chiefs’ roster? Brett Veach explains method behind the madness
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Chiefs kept eight receivers to offset Rashee Rice's early-season suspension.
- Kansas City used veteran release rules to retain roster flexibility pre-Week 1.
- Smith-Schuster and Royals expected to help fill Rice’s offensive production gap.
To be clear: The Kansas City Chiefs keeping eight wide receivers on their initial 53-man roster was no accident.
Upon glancing at the club’s opening roster Tuesday evening, the fact that it contained eight wideouts was abnormal and glaring — but also purposeful.
In a sitdown with reporters Thursday, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach confirmed the team was informed shortly ahead of the NFL’s cut‑down day that Rice’s six‑game suspension — previously expected after a reported Sept. 30 hearing — would likely take effect at the start of the season.
“It wasn’t a surprise,” said Veach. “It was communicated to us, and we were certainly made aware a few days prior to cut-down day that this was a better than a 50% shot that this would get resolved before the kickstart of the season.”
To make the roster work, Kansas City took advantage of league rules that allow accrued veterans, such as tight end Robert Tonyan and safety Mike Edwards, to be released rather than waived, permitting them to sign with anyone (including the team that just cut them). Both were added to KC’s practice squad Wednesday.
At some point in the next week, Rice will officially be placed on the league’s Reserve/Suspension list, and Tonyan is the most likely candidate to be immediately elevated back to the active roster. The resurgent 31-year-old tight end deserves the promotion after standing out during training camp and in the preseason.
Then, that awkward-looking eight-man wide receiver room will slim to seven, and the club will move on to its next obstacle: replacing Rice, who has been pegged to be the offense’s focal point once he returns.
“JuJu (Smith-Schuster) and (Jalen) Royals are guys,” said Veach. “I think both of those guys have a similar skill-set. Obviously JuJu’s been here for a while, and JuJu — to his credit — I think he looked better with this camp than he did the last camp he was here. He’s really taking care of his body, so that’s a good thing because we’re getting JuJu fresh and at the beginning of the season.”
Smith-Schuster had lingering knee issues dating to his first stint with the Chiefs in 2022 that carried into his single season in New England in 2023. This offseason, the ninth-year wideout made a key change that has him feeling as healthy as he has in years.
“I moved to San Diego, so I focused on just honestly myself,” he said last week. “What I did was get the right people around me, the right guys. My coach that I trained with was Keith Bell, so we trained out in San Diego, and we pretty much did two-a-days and trained every single day.
“I think lot of times, I would put my family first when it comes to the offseason, but this time I took ahead of myself to put myself first and really focus on that. This offense, you gotta run fast, so you gotta keep going.”
Following Rice’s injury in Week 4 last season, Smith-Schuster had his best game of the year in Week 5 against the New Orleans Saints: seven catches for 130 yards.
“I feel great going into this season,” Smith-Schuster said. “Being able to just help wherever I can, fill in the void, fill in the spots and keep these guys going. It’s gonna be a long season with our schedule and how it is, it’s gonna be super exciting. First game in Brazil, super excited about that, so just trying to stay ahead of the course.”
In Week 1, Smith-Schuster is expected to fill that hybrid inside-outside void without Rice. Rookie Jalen Royals could factor in once he returns from injury, though head coach Andy Reid expressed his doubts earlier this week.
“Jalen is a guy that has a similar (makeup to Rice),” Veach said. “I don’t want to say Rashee, because I think Rashee is a top-10 receiver. I think he’s a legit dude and star in this league, and I think it’s gonna be awfully hard to do what he can do, and I don’t think we have anybody like Rashee.
“But I think Jalen’s skill-set is like that, and JuJu plays a similar position ... There are very few guys that can punish tacklers like Rashee can at that position.”
The bottom line? The Chiefs know replacing Rice will be no easy task, but the contingency plans have been in place for some time now.
