Stefon Diggs ending up with the Washington Commanders was hardly a shock, but it still landed like a missed opportunity for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Adam Schefter reported Thursday that Diggs chose Washington over the Chiefs, the Las Vegas Raiders and the Miami Dolphins. The move had been building for a while, and even Schefter said “it was Washington all along”, but the Chiefs’ presence in the mix mattered. It confirmed that Kansas City at least looked at a receiver who would have fit alongside Terry McLaurin, and it also confirmed the front office knows the state of its passing-game depth chart is not exactly comforting.
That matters because the Chiefs are heading into '26 with the same wide receiver group they carried a year ago, and that decision has already frustrated plenty of fans. The concern isn’t abstract anymore, either. The room is thin, young and already getting hit by injuries in camp.
Rashee Rice is still working back from offseason knee debridement surgery, and his off-field issues make him hard to pencil in as a reliable weekly answer. Xavier Worthy is already out with a shoulder injury after playing through multiple injuries last season.
Jalen Royals remains untested after a redshirt rookie year in '25. Tyquan Thornon flashed at times last season and wants a bigger role, but he’s only one year removed from fighting for a roster spot.
Cyrus Allen has looked good in camp, yet counting on a day three rookie in his first season is a gamble no team wants to make.
And now the warning signs are showing up on the practice field. Allen is out this week with a shin bruise after a scary collision in special teams drills.
Worthy is on the sideline with him. Rice needed more than a week of camp before he could get into 11-on-11 work.
So if the Chiefs are still shopping, the options are getting thin fast. Keenan Allen is available, but his limitations look a lot like what Kansas City already has.
Tyreek Hill is still in a long recovery from the brutal leg injury he suffered last season. Brandin Cooks, according to his agent, is hoping to return to Buffalo despite getting offers from other contenders.
The common thread is impossible to miss: every name in that group is well into his thirties.
The timing only makes the problem worse. If Kansas City was going to make a real change at receiver, it needed to happen weeks ago so the new addition could be in place before camp opened in late July. Instead, the Chiefs are a week away from facing the Rams in the preseason opener and look stuck with the setup they brought into camp.
That doesn’t close the door completely. A veteran receiver wouldn’t need the same preseason runway as a rookie free agent, and Brett Veach could still be exploring trade possibilities once he sees how the younger players develop and how the injured guys respond. For now, though, the Chiefs at least know the market is being watched - and that the unease around this receiver room isn’t just a fan problem.
In Other News...
Chiefs Stars Patrick Mahomes And Travis Kelce Face New Off-Field Fight
Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes have found themselves in an off-field dispute tied to the name of their steakhouse restaurant, with 1587 Sneakers filing suit over the use of 1587. The lawsuit says the Chiefs stars are downplaying how involved they are in the project, even as the restaurants public presentation has leaned into the partnership and the branding around their shared identity.
The case adds another layer to a high-profile venture that has drawn plenty of attention because of who is attached to it. For now, the fight is centered on control of the name and what comes with it, and the matter remains unresolved as the legal process continues. [Read more 🡒]
Mahomes And Kelce Just Got Dragged Deeper Into Restaurant Legal Fight
Since opening 1587 Prime in September 2025, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce have found their new steakhouse pulled into a federal trademark fight over the restaurants name. The case comes from 1587 Sneakers, and it has quickly become more than a simple branding dispute for two of the NFLs most recognizable stars.
Recent court filings have pushed back on the players position that they do not directly run the restaurants day-to-day business, with the plaintiffs arguing Mahomes and Kelce are more involved than theyve suggested. The lawsuit over 1587 Prime is still active, and both sides are now gearing up for the next round of legal arguments. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Receiver Battle Could Open The Door For Andrew Armstrong
The Chiefs enter training camp with real questions at wide receiver after their top three starters, and that creates an opening for players on the fringes of the roster to make a case. Andrew Armstrong is one of the more intriguing names in that mix, an undrafted receiver trying to turn a reserve/future contract into something more permanent after working his way through the league.
Armstrong has already taken a winding path to Kansas City, with stops on other teams' practice squads before landing with the Chiefs. What gives him a chance is the combination of his size and the kind of route-running ability he showed at Arkansas, traits that can stand out in a competition where the depth chart behind the top options is still very much up for grabs. [Read more 🡒]