Complete lack of hype for Chiefs forgotten weapon should concern Patrick Mahomes

The Kansas City Chiefs wide receivers room faces many tough questions entering training camp, namely about 2023 standout Rashee Rice, who is facing felony charges related to a car accident in Dallas.

Kansas City added Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown to the mix, so they won't be short targets, with or without Rice. The list of capable names on the Kansas City depth chart has no end, including Mecole Hardman and Kadarius Toney. This group has talent, albeit lacking a true standout No. 1.

One player lost in the shuffle thanks to a 2023 suspension is former Clemson standout Justyn Ross, who signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2022. Ross received a six-game suspension last season for violating the league's personal conduct policy. He hasn't made much noise on the field, though one of the charges against him for misdemeanor domestic battery and property damage charge was upgraded to a felony.

Chiefs wide receiver Justyn Ross's production doesn't match his career goals

Prior to the Super Bowl, Ross made his career goals clear.

“My next step is to be that guy that everybody knows,”Ross told Starcade Media during Super Bowl week. “(My goal) is to go out there and just show everybody what I know and what the whole world knows.”

One theme in each of the past two offseasons for Ross has been endless hype. It's a major reason why he's still in the picture for this Chiefs team. When he's on the practice field, Ross is typically making plays. As Matt Conner of Arrowhead Addict pointed out, that hasn't been the case so far in 2024.

"Now that the Chiefs are back to positional battles and roster questions, it should be the prime time for fans to ask about Ross's potential and/or for leaks from Arrowhead touting his potential. Instead, we've got glimpses of Nikko Remigio and silence when it comes to Ross—at least until mandatory minicamp. That's a far cry from a year ago when Ross was the talk of the town for the entire spring and summer," Conner wrote.

Offseason hype doesn't always equal playing time, as Ross has found out the hard way. His lacking of regular season action due to suspension is concerning nonetheless, and it's a big reason why he's an afterthought in the impressive offense run by Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes.