5 Chiefs already on the roster who can lessen blow of imminent Rashee Rice suspension

You do realize it is coming, right? With all the off-the-field noise Rashee Rice has made during the offseason, expect for the NFL to suspend the Kansas City Chiefs at least for a little while. Immensely talented, but we can only hope that he can keep his head on straight. He has it made in Kansas City. As long as Patrick Mahomes stays healthy, Rice is in a fantastic position to contend for Super Bowls.

For my money, I suspect that as soon as Rice's abandoned car was identified as his on the Dallas expressway, the Chiefs made it a point to improve their receiving corps in a hurry. This offseason, they have added the likes of Hollywood Brown, Xavier Worthy and just re-signed Mecole Hardman. Other receivers such as Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore and Justyn Ross were already on the roster.

So what I am going to do today is point out just how many interesting wide receivers the Chiefs already have on their roster in the wake of Rice almost certainly getting suspended. Of course, Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Andy Reid will all play their roles in helping offset Rice's impending suspension. The big question is if Kansas City will have want it takes to three-peat this NFL season.

Let's start with one wide receiver who is entering a prove-it season in year three out of the MAC.

5. Kansas City Chiefs WR Skyy Moore

We have arrived at potentially one of the biggest draft busts of the Brett Veach era of Kansas City football. Skyy Moore was a dominant player in the MAC during his days with the Western Michigan Broncos. Unfortunately, he is about to go down as the third-most important former Broncos receiver behind Greg Jennings and Corey Davis, in that order. He needs to eclipse 250 receiving yards now.

Admittedly, Moore is just going to be a depth guy for this team. The Chiefs have already drafted at least two more promising receivers since he first joined the team, including Rice. Although Xavier Worthy has not proven anything at the NFL level, his upside coming out of Texas was always greater than the allure Moore had coming out of WMU. For now, Moore is at least going to get some run here.

If Rice misses significant time, it helps Moore have staying power on the Chiefs roster going forward.

4. Kansas City Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney

Kadarius Toney has to be one of the most frustrating wide receiver talents to enter the league in quite some time. He was brilliant during his last year at Florida, but keep in mind that was during the COVID year, and we all know the strange outlier seasons that occurred back then. After failing with the New York Giants, Toney is one bad stretch away from having to find a new team to play for beyond just KC.

However, if he has his head on straight, locks in and plays up to his potential, then Toney can have a season worthy of reinventing his entire career. This is a contract year for him anyway, so keep that in mind. Even though he is a Gator, I am rooting for him to figure it out because I know what type of on-field talent he can be. This is his big opportunity. With Rice likely out, I hope he makes the most of it.

Toney is in the same boat as Moore in that they could help, but should not be trusted to really do so.

3. Kansas City Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman

Welcome back, Mecole Hardman! It felt inevitable that he was returning to the Chiefs. After all, the former UGA star was on the receiving end of the game-winning touchdown over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 58. Biases aside, Hardman is the perfect complementary receiver on a contending team. He is an elite No. 3, and a pretty damn good No. 2. He is nobody's No. 1, though.

What separates Hardman from the likes of Skyy Moore, Kadarius Toney and for the sake of argument, Justyn Ross, we have seen him thrive in winning time at the game's highest level. It must be that Dawg in him. It has to be. Regardless, Hardman going back to the Chiefs is only a good thing for the team's chances at pulling off an unprecedented Super Bowl three-peat. Hardman is built for this, y'all.

To me, the Chiefs re-signing Hardman this late in the process means that Rice is getting suspended.

2. Kansas City Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy

I am probably going to be proven wrong here because this is the Chiefs and they are exceptional at getting the most out of traits guys in the draft, but I didn't like the Xavier Worthy pick at all. To me, he is more of a gadget guy that NFL scouts want to admit. Oh, he was fantastic to watch during his time at Texas, but this is the NFL. Fortunately, he is not going to be asked to do too much as an NFL rookie.

If opposing defenses treat him as the Chiefs' No. 1 receiving option, I think that could be problematic for the speedy, but undersized rookie. However, as a complementary wide receiver, I think he could flourish. His game could evolve into what Tyreek Hill's has become as a professional. The biggest difference between Worthy and Mecole Hardman is the Chiefs are expecting big things out of him.

Worthy will need to prove he was worthy of trading up for in the back-end of the first round right away.

1. Kansas City Chiefs WR Hollywood Brown

With a nickname like Hollywood, it is Brown's time to shine as a professional. He may have an infamous cousin, but Brown is just waiting for his day in the sun to be all that he was in college playing for Oklahoma. Now on his third NFL team since coming into the league in 2019, Kyler Murray's favorite target will be tasked with becoming Patrick Mahomes'. Is Brown up for the challenge or not?

Even more so than Worthy, Brown has no choice but to be. Worthy is a rookie, so we may have to cut him a bit of slack. As for Brown, if he cannot put up jaw-dropping numbers in the same offense as Mahomes, it is not going to happen for him. Sure, Brown can continue to have a long and prosperous NFL career going forward, but this year is his last shot at proving to everyone he can be a No. 1 guy.

I expect for it to be more of an ensemble cast-type of approach for the Chiefs, but Brown is the lead.