The Kansas City Chiefs are still Patrick Mahomes’ team, even after that torn ACL ended his 2025 season. ESPN recently ran the numbers and figured Mahomes would fetch seven first-round picks in a hypothetical trade. That’s absurd, but it also tells you everything about how the franchise sees him. Travis Kelce is still getting his flowers too. Sports Illustrated ranked him ninth among tight ends heading into 2026, even though he hasn’t cracked 1,000 yards in three years.
But down at the bottom of the roster? That’s where things get messy. The Chiefs have too many wide receivers and too many defensive ends, and training camp is about to separate who stays from who goes. Here are two guys who should probably start packing just in case.
Nikko Remigio’s Return Job Isn’t Safe
Remigio finally got a real shot last season. He handled most of the kickoff and punt return duties, played 14 games, and piled up 932 combined return yards. That was a steady hand in a role that had been a revolving door. The Chiefs gave him a new contract in April, but don’t read too much into that. Contracts don’t mean much when you’re in a 13-man receiver room.
Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Tyquan Thornton are basically locked in. Jalen Royals was a fourth-round pick last year and missed his rookie season with an injury, so the team wants to see what they’ve got. Then there’s Cyrus Allen, a fifth-round pick this year who made plays during offseason workouts. That’s five receivers before you even get to the depth guys and return specialists.
The Chiefs usually carry seven receivers into Week 1. That leaves two spots. Remigio has the best pro resume of the guys fighting for those jobs, but his margin for error is tiny. He caught one pass for 21 yards all season. One. That’s fine when Rice, Worthy, and Kelce are eating targets, but it also means he doesn’t bring much as a receiver. If another guy can return kicks and actually run routes, Remigio could be in trouble.
Jacob De Jesus is that guy. Undrafted rookie out of Cal, caught 108 balls last season, returns both kicks and punts, and stood out in offseason practices. He’s the kind of player coaches love — a slot receiver who can also handle special teams. Remigio also finished last season on injured reserve with a knee problem. The Chiefs say he’s healthy now, but return men need sharp cuts and quick acceleration. Even a little hesitation changes everything.
And there’s more competition. Jeff Caldwell put up elite athletic testing numbers before going undrafted. Omari Evans reportedly ran a 4.28 40 at Washington’s pro day. Jason Brownlee made the initial roster last summer. Andrew Armstrong led the SEC in receiving yards his final college season. Most of those guys can go to the practice squad without anyone noticing. Remigio has actual NFL return experience, which makes him more likely to get claimed if the Chiefs cut him. That cuts both ways — it might make the team keep him, or it might make them gamble on a younger guy with more upside.
Felix Anudike-Uzomah Is Running Out of Chances
The Chiefs took Anudike-Uzomah with the last pick of the first round in 2023. Three years later, he’s got 1.5 sacks and a major knee injury that cost him the entire 2025 season. That’s not what you want from a first-round defensive end.
He comes back to a completely different defensive line. Kansas City drafted Peter Woods in the first round and R. Mason Thomas in the third. Woods can play all over the front. Thomas is a developmental edge rusher for Steve Spagnuolo. George Karlaftis is the starter. Chris Jones is still Chris Jones. Behind them, there are plenty of depth guys fighting for snaps. Anudike-Uzomah doesn’t have room for a slow return.
His first-round status matters, at least a little. The Chiefs invested three years in him. He knows the system. He’s 24. They’d rather see him turn into something useful than cut him before his rookie deal runs out. But the roster might make that decision for them.
There was a recent trade rumor linking him to the Bears for a late-round pick. That tells you everything about how the league sees him now. A first-round pick on his last rookie year usually carries some value, but zero production plus a lost season changes the math. A trade makes more sense than a straight cut, but interested teams might just wait until final roster cuts to grab him for free.
Health is the big question. If Anudike-Uzomah is fully recovered, he can still be a rotational run defender and occasional pass rusher. Spagnuolo likes guys who can line up in different spots. If the explosiveness comes back, there’s a role for him. Training camp will be the first real test against the new draft picks. Woods is safe. Thomas still has to prove he’s ready for NFL snaps.
The danger is if Anudike-Uzomah looks slow while Thomas develops fast. Then the Chiefs are holding a roster spot for a guy heading to free agency without a defined role. Special teams could save him, but first-round picks don’t usually stick around just for that. He’s got talent, but he’s got one camp left to show the Chiefs that their investment was worth it. If it doesn’t happen this summer, Kansas City might decide waiting another year doesn’t help anybody.
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