Rashee Rice suspension just changed everything for Tyquan Thornton

The Kansas City Chiefs officially know what Rashee Rice's suspension will look like. The third-year wide receiver will be suspended for the first six games of the 2025 regular season, which makes perfect sense why the Chiefs opted to keep eight wide receivers on their roster to start the year.

One of the eight wide receivers who made the Chiefs' 53-man roster is Tyquan Thornton, a player who worked hard this summer to find his way onto the team. Thornton was a second-round pick by the Patriots just three years ago and after flaming out in New England, it was clear that a change of scenery was needed for him.

Perhaps that much-needed change of scenery is in Kansas City. Thornton thrived this summer with the Chiefs and rocketed up the depth chart going from a potential practice squad member to making the final roster. Now he has a big opportunity ahead of him with Rice's suspension officially confirmed.

Chiefs now counting on Tyquan Thornton after Rashee Rice news

Not only is Rice going to miss those first six games but there appears to be a chance that rookie Jalen Royals will end up on IR while he deals with knee tendinitis. That means that while yes, the Chiefs have eight receivers on their roster, only six of them are healthy enough and ready to go for the Brazil game against the Chargers in Week 1. Thornton is one of those healthy six and the Chiefs need him to step up the same way he did this summer.

This wasn't originally the situation Thornton was going to be facing with his new team. It was mostly expected that he'd either be a rostered player but low on the depth chart or on the practice squad and probably not getting many targets sent his way in either of those scenarios. That's all seemingly changed now and he needs to make the most of it.

While Hollywood Brown, Travis Kelce, and Xavier Worthy will likely get the majority of the targets to start the year, it's important for the other four receivers to step up as well. Thornton was kept on the roster for this very reason. He showed what made him a former second-rounder with his new team but now he has to build on that by producing in actual games that matter.

Fortunately, Thornton's quarterback situation is improved in Kansas City and hopefully he and Patrick Mahomes can get on the same page this season. Thornton has a rare opportunity here and hopefully, he makes the best of it. If he doesn't, this could be it for him as far as getting legitimate opportunities go.