When the Kansas City Chiefs finish the preseason on Friday by hosting the Chicago Bears at Arrowhead Stadium, eyes will be on the players fighting for the final few roster spots before teams must trim to 53 players next week.
For those contending to round out the wide receiver and running back rooms, decisions may come down to which potential backups offer the most value on special teams. Chiefs assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Dave Toub discussed several players competing for backup roles
when he spoke before practice on Tuesday.
Toub’s tone implied he may not expect to have wide receiver Skyy Moore in-house. Late in Friday’s 33-16 preseason loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Moore scored on an 88-yard punt return. The big moment, however, may not be enough to extend Moore’s tenure in Kansas City — especially after struggling on offense in the same game.
“His punt return ability and kick return ability have really gotten better over the years,” Toub said of Moore, “and that showed right there. He’s solid there in that part of it. The other part [on offense] is the mental. I think with him, it’s just getting over that hump. He’s definitely an NFL player —, whether he’s on our team or not or on our team. I think the return helped him. He’s a good football player.”
The coach appreciates Moore’s commitment to improving in the return game. After struggling with fielding punts much of his rookie season in 2022, Moore delivered a key return in the final minute of regulation in the AFC Championship game that set up a game-winning drive to advance to Super Bowl LVII.
“I’d be happy with Skyy back there [returning punts],” remarked Toub. “He’s broke through. He had a barrier when he was a rookie. He had a couple of bad things that happened, but then he had a lot of success in the playoffs. So, I think he got over that, and he’s comfortable back there. He’s one of our best catchers on punts. So, I’d feel comfortable if we had, had to use him if it came down to that.”
One player who is definitely in the return game mix is rookie wideout Jalen Royals, who recorded a 49-yard kickoff return on Saturday.
“I thought Royals did a really nice job,” Toub recalled. “I thought he showed us something. He almost broke that one. It was like the kicker just tripped him up right at the end. That was good to see: young players showing up and making plays.”
Fellow rookie Brashard Smith may also factor in the return game. Toub appeared higher on what he’s seen from the former college wideout turned running back taking kickoffs than on punts. The NFL’s top special teams mind explained why punt returns are much more difficult.
“The confidence on kick return is [that] it’s easy to catch a kick return,” Toub noted. “You see it coming, and there’s a lot of space between you and the guys. You’ve got time to get in position. Punt returns — you’re looking up in the air, and these guys are coming down on you. You don’t know where they’re at, and it’s the timing thing, and then it’s about reading the football.
“The last punt return in the last game, [Smith] had a bad read on the ball, and it kind of got over his head a little bit. Then, he was near the sideline, and he just lost track of where it was at. It’s hard. It’s hard to play punt returner in the NFL.
“It’s different catching balls on a jugs machine or in practice where nobody’s out there, but when they’re coming down on you and you know you’re going to get hit — that’s a whole other deal.”
Wide receiver Tyquan Thornton also took a kickoff in Saturday’s game. After an impressive training camp, the former New England Patriots second-round selection appears set to make the team. Like most depth wideouts, Thornton must find a role on special teams to justify his roster spot.
Toub appeared uncertain about which role Thornton will play. But given Thornton’s apparent connection with star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the coach knows that the speedster will be in the mix for his units.
“I’ve got to find a role for him,” Toub acknowledged. “He’s definitely found a role on the offense. I don’t think there’s any question about that. He showed up there. Pat has a lot of confidence in him, and all the offensive coaches have confidence in him. Now, I’ve got to find a role for him on teams, whether he’s going to play gunner, he’s going to be a kick returner, [or] he’s going to play end on punt return…He’s got to play somewhere, being, being a third or fourth or fifth receiver — those guys have got to play on special teams because they’re taking up a roster spot.”
Thornton’s listed 185-pound weight presents a problem in finding a role with Toub.
“He’s a slight guy,” stated Toub, “So he’s got to use his speed. He’s got to use his quickness to get around people. He’s not going to run over anybody.”
As the Chiefs finalize their roster, special teams may weigh heavier than usual. With further changes to the league’s dynamic kickoff rule now putting touchbacks at the 35-yard line, more returns are expected.
“There’s going to be more returns, no question,” Toub predicted. “Nobody’s just going to just kick a touchback and allow that. The 35-yard line — that’s a big advantage. You want to take your chances with a good kick and then try to get it on the ground and try to get them tackled inside the 30. You’re saving a big chunk of yardage right there. Teams are going to do that, and I just think it’s going to increase the importance of the whole play —either kick-offs or kick returns.”
