How Should Jalen Royals Be Used For the Chiefs?

The Kansas City Chiefs added to their wide receiving room this offseason through the 2025 NFL Draft. Selecting wide receiver Jalen Royals out of Utah State in the fourth round, the Chiefs should only hope that Royals can have as big of an impact as Xavier Worthy had last season.

However, Worthy had a different situation that Royals. Worthy's role increased after Rashee Rice was sidelined for the season due to an injury. With hopeful wishes that no injuries occur for Kansas City on the offensive side of the ball, it begs the question of how the Chiefs should use their newest wide receiver.

Head coach Andy Reid has had nothing but positive things to say when talking about Royals. Earlier this offseason, Coach Reid spoke to the media to discuss the potential that Royals have, and if he could see him getting involved in his rookie campaign.

“Yeah, he (Jalen Royals) looks like he’s a sharp kid. He works hard, he’s strong – a little bit like Rashee
(Rice) in that way. Probably like Rashee (in more) than one (way). He’s got a little bit more beef to him, thick lower body but again, (he’s) strong and he picks stuff up – he doesn’t say a whole lot. (He’s) very,
very quiet, but he picks things up and does a nice job with it.”

Royals could be an underdog asset for the Chiefs this season. Seeing that Coach Reid sees a little bit of Rice, the Chiefs' best wide receiver, in this rookie, perhaps Royals' role will only increase as the year continues. One way the Chiefs could utilize him early is as a punt returner.

Royals has experience as a kick returner in his career, but at the collegiate level. His final year with the Aggies, Royals collected 184 return yards in nine attempts, averaging a tad over 20 yards per carry. Collecting a 4.42 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, speed is on his side.

So long as Royals stays healthy, he should be thrown around several areas on the offense to see which portion of his game sticks. As he continues to learn at the professional level, Royals is likely to increase his rank as a receiver in the league.

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