<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Kansas City Chiefs’ offense will hopefully look vastly different from last season…if the injury bug can be avoided.<\/p>\n
Rashee Rice was the big domino to fall in Week 4, as a knee injury ruled him out for the rest of the season, plus, Marquise Brown was injured in preseason and didn’t return until Week 16.<\/p>\n
In the case of Rice, it is going to be a slow burn getting back to where he was a year ago, and the Chiefs decided to get some insurance in the draft by selecting receiver\u00a0Jalen Royals\u00a0in the fourth round.<\/p>\n
Royals has blistering speed and\u00a0director of player personnel Ryne Nutt detailed after the draft, that Royals, if things go well, will help the offense while Rice is getting back to 100 percent.<\/p>\n
“We watched his tape before the Senior Bowl [and thought], ‘Hey, this guy’s kind of interesting,”’\u00a0Nutt said via ESPN. “Then he goes to the Senior Bowl and we thought he did well so he got even more on the radar. Then he goes to the combine and runs a 4.40 and he jumps a 36 [inch broad jump] and we’re like, ‘Oh, this kid’s explosive.’ Then you get the kind of coaches involved and we Zoom him, and we talk and we’re like, ‘Yeah, we could use this kid.’<\/p>\n
“With Rashee coming back from injury and trying to get right, the hopes are this kid can step in and try to get some playing time and help us out.”<\/p>\n
![\"Kansas](\"https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/t_share\/MjEyNDY3MDAyNDU3OTkwNjY1\/usatsi_24370038.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
With the addition of Royals, and having Brown back for preseason, the idea is that the Chiefs won’t have to rush Rice back from his injury.<\/p>\n
Kansas City isn’t short on receivers with Brown, Royals, Xavier Worthy, and Juju Smith-Schuster making up the room, so Rashee can take his time and slowly build up to getting back 100 percent.<\/p>\n
And when he does, it will be another weapon\u00a0Patrick Mahomes\u00a0can utilize, and in the case of Royals, his speed and ability to get downfield will be a key component of how Andy Reid uses him.<\/p>\n
But for now, Royals is providing cover for Rice until the star receiver is healthy enough to return as Mahomes’ No. 1 weapon.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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