With star tight end Travis Kelce turning 36 just a few weeks into the 2025 season, there’s no question he Kansas City Chiefs need more production out of their group of wide receivers to help lighten the load on Kelce’s shoulders.
And the Chiefs have the horses to do with Rashee Rice, Marquise Brown, Xavier Worthy, Juju Smith-Schuster, 2025 fourth-round pick Jalen Royals, and a host of other talented pass-catchers on the roster.
But because there’s expected to be so much competition among the group with two 1,000-yard WRs (Brown and Smith-Schuster), an ascending star in Rice, and four rookies, there’s pressure on some of the more tenured pass-catchers on the Chiefs roster like Skyy Moore.
And though quarterback Patrick Mahomes told reporters Moore is one of the hardest-working players on the field who makes plays when his number is called, he also subtly called out the former second-round pick right before minicamps tarted.
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) celebrates with wide receiver Skyy Moore (24) after catching a 54-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium.
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) celebrates with wide receiver Skyy Moore (24) after catching a 54-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
“His job is to come in here and compete,” Mahomes said. “… (General manager Brett) Veach has brought in such great competition int hat room that you go with the open mind and you let guys go out there and compete to see who the best five, six, seven, eight, whatever guys that is make the team but also compete in making each other better.”
Moore played in just six games last season after being placed on injured reserve with a core muscle injury.
But even when he was healthy, he made a minimal impact on the passing game, totaling 43 catches, 494 yards, and just one touchdown in his previous two seasons combined, which is why former Chiefs tight end Jason Dunn believes Moore could be a cut candidate during training camp.
“Skyy is a second-round pick, so he’s going to get every opportunity,” Dunn said on the “Chief Concerns” podcast. “But just because you’re a second-round pick, you can still go to the back.
"Second-round pick don’t mean he has to stick around. They can get rid of [you]. Look, I’ve done seen guys—top picks—get cut because they just tired of them because they didn’t have any value or no worth.”
Rice, Brown, and Worthy are locks to make the 53-man roster, and Smith-Schuster and Royals are safe bets to likely make it as well.
If Moore is to keep his roster spot, he’ll have to beat out several veterans including Justyn Ross, Tyquan Thornton, Jason Brownlee, and Nikko Remigio plus a few rookies including Elijah Badger, Mac Dalena and Jimmy Holiday.