Chiefs receiver battle may have already passed Skyy Moore by

The Chiefs will have their first preseason game coming up soon. It will not be long before final roster decisions will need to be made by each team around the league. Generally, there are a handful of names under pressure to maintain their stance on the team. The Chiefs have a few names who could be fighting one last time for a roster spot.

At wide receiver, Kansas City has a bit of a logjam at the bottom of the depth chart. Names like Rashee Rice (when available after a possible suspension), Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown, and JuJu Smith-Schuster will likely make up the top four. After that, you have about four names seriously being considered for the final one or two wide receiver spots.

Rookie Jalen Royals has been flashing in training camp so far. Tyquan Thornton has also turned heads after his impressive start in St. Joe. That leads us to incumbent names like Nikko Remigio and Skyy Moore.

Does Skyy Moore have enough of an advantage to keep his spot in Kansas City? Overall, no offensive skill player likely faces more pressure to stay on the roster than him.

Lack of development as former second-round pick

Skyy Moore was a second-round pick, whom the Chiefs traded up for, in the 2022 NFL Draft. Moore is already set to enter the final year of his rookie deal this season. Without much production or high moments so far, he was already in an uphill battle entering this year's training camp. But with the current competition at wide receiver, Moore is facing even more immense pressure.

The Chiefs have had to cycle through many names at wide receiver over the last few years. Rice and Worthy each had solid rookie campaigns. Brown was hurt in the first preseason game last year and did not return until late in the regular season. Smith-Schuster had some success in his first stint with Kansas City, but he ended up returning after an unproductive tenure with the New England Patriots. Those are all names that Patrick Mahomes trusts.

Mahomes has attempted to take chances with Moore at various points in the past. Inconsistent routes, drops, and injuries have all led to a lack of development, however. On the flip side, it is still very early in the career of Royals. But to see the flashes he has shown so far makes the results from Skyy Moore even more frustrating at this stage.

How other wide receivers can separate from Moore in specific role

Skyy Moore has seen opportunities from the slot and tight to the formation when he has been on the field. Royals, Thornton, and Remigio are all best suited to attack from the slot as well. Plus, we know how effective Smith-Schuster has been as a bigger slot in the middle of the field for Mahomes.

Moore measures in at 5-foot-10 and 195 pounds. Thornton is a little lighter in overall weight than Moore, though Thornton's height advantage can match up with a number of different defensive backs. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Royals measured slightly bigger in both categories than Moore currently stands.

Time will tell if Thornton can consistently win after the catch or in traffic in the upcoming preseason showings. As for Royals, he was able to add explosive plays left and right in college due to his yards after the catch. Moore has never really been able to do much magic after hauling it in. Perhaps the extreme need to be more explosive this season finalizes the Chiefs' decision in the wide receiver battle.

Reasons why Moore can still earn a Chiefs roster spot

Skyy Moore is still going to be a cheap option for Kansas City in terms of spending. A player who may still offer some value on special teams, while still being low in salary, is never a bad thing. Moore has a chance to be a returner if certain options go down with injury. Plus, there may be select offensive situations for him to work in—like the red zone—if he does make the team.

Moore will likely be a player that Kansas City waits to decide on until the final roster spots are determined. All in all, the Western Michigan product can look to his experience in the offense as something to lean on. Even if that means his snap count is low, that has kept certain players in the fold for Kansas City longer than expected.