Should the Chiefs Have Selected a Pass Catcher Higher in the 2026 Draft?
In the 2026 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs selected four defensive prospects in a row, two of them in the first round. The decision not to draft a pass catcher in the higher rounds perplexed much of Chiefs Kingdom. With a receiver room that many fans feel lacks depth and is an injury or suspension away from disaster, and a productive but aging Travis Kelce in the twilight of his career, a blue-chip receiver or tight end was on the list of must-haves for many. The Chiefs, however, didn’t share that sentiment, not drafting a wide receiver until the fifth round. Along with the intriguing signing of an undrafted free agent who’s an athletic freak, the Chiefs are mostly betting on what they already have in the building.
Enter Chad O’Shea: The Receiver Whisperer
What they have in the building is a three-time Super Bowl-winning receivers coach in Chad O’Shea, hired by the Chiefs in January of this year. If anyone can get the most out of Kansas City’s receiver room, it’s the former New England Patriot who helped coach that team through the second half of their dynasty. Rashee Rice had nearly a thousand yards received in his rookie year in 2023, but the subsequent years were severely hampered by injury and suspension. Xavier Worthy ran the fastest 40-yard dash in NFL Combine history and scored a touchdown the very first time he touched a football in a Chiefs jersey. Worthy’s other-worldly speed stretches the field nicely for Patrick Mahomes, but his issues with tracking the ball in the air have persisted, though in 2025, injuries to his labrum and ankle may have been a factor, and Mahomes has had issues throwing the deep ball accurately. Tyquan Thornton, the ex-New England Patriot, signed by the Chiefs in 2025, showed a real connection with the franchise QB and was a legitimate deep threat before being sidelined when Rice returned from suspension, and other players became healthy. The most dependable pass catcher for Mahomes has been Kelce, who was the fifth-ranked tight end in the league in 2025 with 851 yards and five touchdowns. Does O’Shea have enough to work with to return the Kansas City passing attack to prominence? Can he iron out the flaws in his receivers enough to return them to the postseason, along with a fifth-round pick and an undrafted free agent?
Fifth-Round Gamble: Cyrus Allen’s Upside
Wide Receiver Cyrus Allen, out of Cincinnati, was chosen 176th in the fifth round of the draft, one of three offensive players selected by the Chiefs. The others being running back Emmett Johnson out of Nebraska and quarterback Garrett Nussmeier out of LSU. At five-foot-11 and 180lbs, Allen is slender-framed but has a quick burst off the line and can play all three levels of the field. A slippery runner who escapes tackles, the ex-Bearcat has great top-end speed and is great in the slot. What’s at issue with the savvy route-runner is a tendency to round out his routes, giving defenders a chance to make a play on the ball, as well as a loss of balance when getting out of sharp breaks. Jeff Caldwell, an undrafted free agent, also out of Cincinnati, is a physical phenom at six-foot-five and 216lbs. Scoring a 99 in athleticism at the Combine, the best score out of every receiver there, the explosive vertical threat presents physical attributes that aren’t possible to ignore. With a 4.31 forty-yard dash, a 42-inch vertical jump, and a 1.48 10-yard split, the potential upside for Kansas City could be substantial. His natural ability leaps off the tape, quick off the line, he separates and finds space, and is a tough runner with the ball in his hands; Caldwell is a rare but raw talent. Why raw? Well, he went undrafted for a reason. With a limited route tree and the inability to stop on a dime, the raw route technician in progress takes extra steps when he stops, making himself vulnerable to interceptions.
Passing on Star Power: The Receivers That Got Away
The Chiefs said no to receivers Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, and Jordyn Tyson in the first round and declined an heir apparent for Kelce in Kenyon Sadiq at tight end. Instead of a new blue-chip receiver for the clutch-time closer, which many a Chiefs fan wanted, they opted to shore up their defense substantially with Mansoor Delane, Peter Woods, R Mason Thomas, and Jadon Canady. It seems the Chiefs have enough faith in their receiving room that they didn’t feel the need to select a pass catcher high in the draft. With a three-time Super Bowl winner in O’Shea, with decades of coaching experience in the NFL, Kansas City has a lot of faith in his ability to be a force multiplier for the players Mahomes throws balls to. A reloaded defense with new speed, a running attack on offense with Kenneth Walker III, and now a receivers coach on board with his second dynasty, the Kansas City Chiefs may well prove they haven’t lost their knack for glory in 2026 and beyond.
