Could Kansas City’s New Wide Receivers Coach Affect How They Pick in the 2026 Draft?

In the 2026 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs will have the highest pick they’ve had in nearly a decade, picking Patrick Mahomes at tenth overall in 2017. With the ninth and 29th pick overall, Kansas City has the opportunity to draft difference-makers and return to championship form for the 2026 season and beyond. With attention needed all over the field, from edge rusher to cornerback, to offensive tackle, one position the Chiefs may not draft in the first or even second round is wide receiver. With Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy not performing to fan expectations for various reasons, and the view that KC’s receiver room is somewhat anemic and without the presence of a true primary receiver, talk of the Chiefs picking that position in the first round has persisted. The hiring of receivers coach Chad O’Shea, however, could be an indicator that the Chiefs are willing to work with what they have in the receiver room and will draft a ball catcher in the lower rounds, placing their focus on other positions in the higher rounds.

The 2025 Chiefs were middle of the road in passing, ranking 16th in the league, and were a considerably worse run team, ranking 25th. Not one receiver got more than 600 yards, though Rice's suspension for the first six games of the year was a factor. Far and away, the most consistent receiver last year was tight end Travis Kelce, who had 851 yards and five touchdowns. With the hiring of a seasoned coach at the receiving position in O’Shea, the Chiefs are on track to get the most out of the receivers they already have on the roster. In his rookie year, Rice received nearly 1,000 yards, but his two subsequent years were cut short by injury and suspension. Worthy’s speed has game-changing potential, but his tendency to lose track of the ball has been an issue, and he has dealt with injury. 2026 perhaps could be a breakout year for the 22-year-old speedster in Worthy. Tyquan Thornton, last year’s transplant from New England, showed real promise with his speed and obvious connection with Mahomes before he was essentially sidelined when Rice returned from suspension, and other players in the receiving corps got healthy. Thorton is looking to be a real difference-maker in 2026. The potential is there for O’Shea to work with, and he could prove the Chiefs already have the right irons in the fire at the wide receiver position.

Connor Embree, Kansas City’s receivers coach hired in 2023 and then released in 2025, failed to produce a 1,000-yard receiver, and his receiving corps was prone to drops during his tenure. Embree’s experience coaching receivers was thin, not having coached the position since 2017 at Fairview High School in Colorado. O’Shea’s breadth and depth of experience bring a much-needed expertise to the receiver room. With an NFL coaching career that spans 23 years across five teams, the very first being Kansas City in 2005, the seasoned wide receiver whisperer’s most well-known tenure is at New England. From 2009 to 2018, O’Shea was a vital part of the Patriot dynasty, coaching receivers such as Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, Jakobi Meyers, and Randy Moss. Known for his Midas touch in developing talent, O’Shea has been credited by Edelman for making him the player he is. With three Super Bowl victories with the Patriots, he brings an additional championship pedigree to yet another dynasty. In 2019, in the AFC Conference Championship, the Patriots' offense brought a 65.52% red zone touchdown efficiency to Arrowhead, ninth in the league that year, as they defeated the Chiefs and went on to win Super Bowl LIII over the Los Angeles Rams. In the 2025 season, the Chiefs had a 57.63% red zone touchdown efficiency. With Rice clear of suspension in a contract year, Worthy looking to prove himself after injury, and an emerging Thornton, along with a future Hall of Fame quarterback, there is every reason to believe O’Shea can get that red zone percentage near where he had it in New England the year they beat Kansas City in the AFC Conference Championship. For the Chiefs, hiring such a tenured and successful coach could be the piece they needed in the receiving room, freeing them up in the draft to pick high for other areas on the field.