As training camp kicks off, the Kansas City Chiefs have a very different-looking receiver room than in years past.
They’ve brought in some new faces in free agency in JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, but they also added a fresh-faced rookie in Western Michigan WR Skyy Moore. While the veterans took the majority of the starting reps on Day 1 of full training camp practices, Moore has brought a unique skill set and perspective to the receiver room.
Asked about the potential that he sees in Moore, Smith-Schuster first mentioned that he has the right approach as a rookie. He’s focused on the right things and is simply enjoying the journey.
“Honestly, I’ll tell you one thing about that kid that I love is his happiness,” Smith-Schuster said. “I’ve seen a lot of guys come into the league so driven, so focused and they forget to enjoy the moment.”
In terms of Moore’s ceiling, Smith-Schuster doesn’t really see one. He believes that Moore can be an all-around weapon for the Chiefs and help the team in a number of different ways, even as a rookie.
“And Skyy (Moore), like I said, the sky’s the limit for him,” Smith-Schuster continued. “He’s a guy who has speed, hands – all around – smart, smart kid. That’s what I love about him. But like I said, with him, he’s a great player that’s going to show. He’s going to help us out a lot. Inside, outside.”
We’ve heard a lot of talk about WR versatility this offseason centered around the way Deebo Samuel was used by the San Francisco 49ers in 2021. Smith-Schuster believes that Moore has the same type of skill set to take some snaps out of the backfield as well.
“Potentially, I could see him playing running back, doing stuff like that just because he has it in him,” Smith-Schuster said.
Smith-Schuster came full circle in his comments, again mentioning the upbeat attitude of the rookie wideout.
“And another thing is too, he’s always happy,” Smith-Schuster concluded. “He’s having fun, he’s in the moment. He’s enjoying himself.”
There’s nothing wrong with having a little fun during practice. In fact, it should help the rookie take advantage of some of the opportunities that come his way and not stress about the mistakes that he’ll surely make in his first training camp with the team.
