Unheralded Chiefs Receiver Impressing Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes

   

The Kansas City Chiefs revamped their wide receiver room over the past few months. After winning the Super Bowl despite a lack of reliable receivers, the Chiefs went out of their way to ensure Patrick Mahomes won’t be sabotaged by his teammates, signing Marquise Brown to a one-year deal and trading up in the first round to select wide receiver Xavier Worthy. When paired with Rashee Rice, these three should be one of the game’s more reliable receiver trios. However, former undrafted free agent Nikko Remigio is reportedly impressing in camp and could steal one of the final spots on the roster.

During recent media sessions, both Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid went out of their way to complement the Fresno State product.

“He’s smart, a hard worker; He tries his best every play. He studies; you can tell he studies because he knows all the spots,” said Reid. “He’s got a great attitude, positive attitude. Those kind of guys, you pull for.”

Mahomes shared a similar sentiment, saying that he “just works extremely hard, he’s always asking the right questions, always wants to get extra work, and that’s what you want… He just comes to work every single day with a smile on his face. He wants to work hard and get better and better, and it’s not like he’s going out there and hating on someone else. He wants everybody to get better with him. I think that’s why everybody loves him in that room. You’ve seen the positive signs coming every single day. He continues to get better.”

Nikko Remigio Impressing In Chiefs Practice, Could Earn Roster Spot

Measuring in at 5′-9″ and 187 pounds, Nikko Remigio is notably smaller than your average wide receiver. This underwhelming build played a large role in him going undrafted, and it’s difficult to envision him ever earning a large role in this offense. Marquise Brown and Rashee Rice both proved they can play in this league, and Worthy’s draft capital ensures he’ll see the field early and often. Factor in the presence of star tight end Travis Kelce and every other pass-catcher on the roster is battling for the fifth role in this offense. Even though it’s not a glamorous role, could Remigio win it?

As of this posting, Justin Watson, Kadarius Toney, and Skyy Moore join Nikko Remigio in a battle for the bottom of the depth chart. Watson is an adequate depth option with a limited ceiling, while Toney and Moore can’t seem to get out of their own way but are electric with the ball in their hands. If Remigio hopes to steal a job from one of these players, he’ll need to prove that he can overcome his relatively underwhelming athletic gifts.

The first step to doing this involves making plays in the preseason. You cannot accurately simulate the feel of a regular season game, but you need to start somewhere. If he can make a name for himself against NFL-caliber competition, then perhaps he can earn one of the final spots on this roster. In reality, he’ll probably won’t make the 53-man roster but he could spend the year earning the trust of the coaching staff while on the practice squad.