Chiefs WR room drama puts Jason Brownlee and Tyquan Thornton in spotlight

The Kansas City Chiefs kick off their 2025 regular season campaign against the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil in Week 1. While the team made strides to improve the wide receiver position, the Chiefs are going to need their depth pieces to step up against the Bolts thanks to a suspension to Rashee Rice and an injury for Jalen Royals, which will prevent either of them from playing in this game.

With Rice and Royals unavailable, it's time for the depth pieces on the Chiefs roster to step up and help Patrick Mahomes out. The depth pieces in question are Jason Brownlee and Tyquan Thornton, who were kept on the roster over possible other key positions for this very reason.

Brownlee spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the New York Jets and then signed with Kansas City in the offseason. He never showed much with the Jets but he had an impressive summer with the Chiefs and caught a touchdown in the preseason. His performance in training camp and preseason was enough for the Chiefs to keep him on their roster as one of their eight receivers and now he needs to further prove that he was worth keeping around.

Thornton's story in the NFL has been much different. Unlike Brownlee, Thornton was not only drafted but drafted high, landing with the Patriots in the second round of the 2022 draft. Thornton flamed out with the Patriots but balled out for the Chiefs this summer, leading the team in receiving yards in the preseason.

Chiefs wideouts battling for roles face massive Week 1 opportunity

The Chiefs clearly knew that Rice was going to miss time with a suspension and that Royals might not be healthy enough to suit up early on. That's precisely why they chose to roster eight receivers instead of their usual six. Brownlee and Thornton did enough to earn a roster spot and now it's up to them to make the most of their opportunity.

Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Xavier Worthy will be the starting wideouts but the Chiefs are going to need help beyond them. That's where Brownlee and Thornton will need to step in. Even if they're only targeted one time, make the most of that target and catch the ball first and foremost. If they can manage to do that, they're already doing better than the past wide receivers who have played for this team.

When Rice and Royals come back, they'll be given more playing time but if Brownlee and/or Thornton can show they're worth keeping around, the Chiefs will do so. If they have forgettable performances, then it won't be hard to make adjustments to the roster later on. This is the opportunity both of these guys need because it's hard to stick in the NFL and they both have second chances. It's time to make the most of them.