Chiefs News 5/15: NFL betting on Patrick Mahomes’ Week 1 availability

A lot can happen between now and Week 1, but as Schefter alluded to, the NFL definitely would not have scheduled Kansas City in a primetime slot if it didn’t feel positive about Mahomes being available. The Chiefs acquired Justin Fields in a trade with the New York Jets earlier this offseason to back Mahomes up and start for him if needed. **Chiefs’ offseason winners and losers: Which players received votes of confidence? | The Athletic** **Winner: Rashee Rice**

I’m one of those who believed the Chiefs would look to address receiver during the early rounds of the NFL Draft. It seemed to make sense given the team’s uncertain future there, with Rashee Rice in the final year of his rookie contract and the team lacking depth behind its top three of Rice, Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton.

And who knows? Perhaps if the draft had fallen a different way, the Chiefs *would’ve*taken a wideout with one of their three Day 2 picks.

As it stands, though, general manager Brett Veach appears to be putting his faith in Rice for 2026 while believing the receiver will avoid the off-field drama that marred his first three seasons.

Rice’s future is tough to predict. Because of injuries and suspension, he has played just 12 games in the last two years, though he’s maintained strong production when he has been out there.

Case in point: Rice averaged 2.16 yards per route run last season, according to TruMedia, which was 12th among 41 receivers with at least 50 receptions. He remains a perfect fit for the Chiefs offense thanks to his run-after-catch ability, with the team often using him on short throws while looking to maximize his physicality and strength.

Rice isn’t a complete receiver, but he has proved he can carry a heavy load. The Chiefs appear to be banking on him to do that again, while also giving him one more opportunity to show he can go a full calendar year without creating negative offseason headlines.

It’s up to Rice from here. That the Chiefs didn’t draft over the top of him leaves open the possibility that they could be interested in an extension past 2026.

His production — and behavior — will determine whether that comes to fruition, but the Chiefs have at least left open the path toward a longer future in K.C. **Most/least vulnerable NFL division champs | NFL.com** **4. Denver Broncos AFC West**

Denver filled its biggest hole with the trade for Jaylen Waddle, giving Bo Nix a No. 1 target to pair with Courtland Sutton. The Broncos have one of the best starting 22s in the NFL if Nix stays healthy. The defense is menacing, as it can get after the quarterback, and the secondary is sticky. However, there are depth questions, and a few injuries to key players could create havoc. Squads led by defenses tend to regress to the mean year over year. The Broncos won a whopping 11 games by one score in 2025, with several coming against opponents they should’ve walloped. With a tougher schedule, it’ll be harder to replicate that success. Denver needs more consistency from the offense in 2026. How will handing over play-calling duties to Davis Webb work out? It could become a talking point if the offense gets off to a slow start. Once again, the AFC West looks like a gauntlet. The Chiefs have restocked this offseason, and assuming Patrick Mahomes is 100 percent healthy at or near the start of the season, they could feast on an easier schedule. The Chargers appear poised to take a leap forward if their offensive line stays on the field. Mike McDaniel brings a sexier approach to Los Angeles’ offense than his predecessor. And even if the Raiders are a long shot, the new coaching staff, boatload of free-agent signees and a better quarterback situation — whether it’s rookie Fernando Mendoza or veteran Kirk Cousins — make them friskier. **First-Round NFL Draft Picks Already Stealing Starting Jobs Fast (And Others Aren’t Close) | SI** **Starter: Mansoor Delane, CB, Kansas City Chiefs**

The Kansas City Chiefs traded up to select cornerback Mansoor Delane at No. 6 overall. It wasn’t surprising to see them get aggressive at the position after parting ways with both boundary starters, Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, earlier this offseason. Not only is Delane a Week 1 starter, he’s easily sitting atop the depth chart. It’s a responsibility that comes with massive Year One expectations for a Chiefs team trying to bounce back from their first disappointing season in a decade. **Albert Breer Details How the NFL Built the 2026 Schedule | SI** I figured the uncertainty over Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes’s ACL rehab might affect the way the league scheduled the Steelers and Chiefs. It really didn’t. The Steelers have six stand-alone games, four in prime time, and they’re one of the six teams that can be flexed into Saturday in Week 16. The Chiefs are in prime time six times—their first two games are at night—and they’re one of the teams that can be flexed to Saturday in Week 17.

“Pittsburgh’s a national brand. I don’t remember the last time they had a losing record; it would’ve been more than 20 years ago,” Schroeder said. “They’ve played with different quarterbacks and they’re still really competitive. … Obviously, it’ll be exciting to see what happens with Aaron [Rodgers] as they get that situation resolved one way or another.

“And similar to the Chiefs, the Chiefs are one of the most popular teams in the league; they have a huge following. We certainly are hopeful that Patrick will be back in Week 1. We read the same stories everyone else does, but we think that’s a heck of a coach, a heck of a team. They went out and got Justin Fields, and he’s with Coach [Andy] Reid in case Patrick’s not healthy.”

**Around the NFL**

**Patriots-Seahawks in Week 1 | ESPN**

Seven months after downing the Patriots to capture Super Bowl LX, the Seahawks will welcome Drake Maye and New England to Lumen Field for the 2026 NFL season opener on Wednesday, Sept. 9.

The matchup was among many notables unveiled Thursday night as NFL teams posted their schedules on social media followed by the league’s full announcement of its 272-game slate.

It will be the third time the regular-season opener will be a repeat of the previous season’s Super Bowl matchup, with the last coming in 2016, when the Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers after defeating them in Super Bowl 50 earlier in the year. **Jayden Daniels, Joe Flacco headline Season 3 of Netflix’s** **‘Quarterback’ | The Athletic** The third season of Quarterback, a Netflix series that follows a handful of NFL signal-callers throughout the season, will premiere on Tuesday, July 14.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward and Cleveland Browns/Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco make up the cast for this edition of the series.

None of the quarterbacks featured in season 3 of the show made the postseason, but each had interesting storylines that could be spotlighted in the series.

Daniels entered his sophomore season in the NFL with high expectations after leading the Commanders to the NFC Championship game in 2024 as a rookie. However, Daniels was limited to just seven games as he dealt with multiple injuries throughout the season. He started the first two games of the season before a sprained knee cost him a couple of weeks, followed by a hamstring strain that led to a one-game absence. In Week 9, Daniels suffered a dislocated elbow, which sidelined him for three games. He reaggravated the elbow injury in his first game back in Week 14 and was eventually shut down for the rest of the season. **NY Giants hosting ex-Kansas City Chiefs DB/special teamer on free-agent visit | Big Blue View** The New York Giants are continuing to pursue options to compete for spots at the bottom of their 53-man roster, with Ian Rapoport reporting that **former Kansas City Chiefs defensive back/special teamer Nazeeh Johnson is visiting the team on Thursday**.

Johnson was a seventh-round pick by the Chiefs in the 2022 NFL Draft. Over three seasons, he played 494 defensive snaps, all in 2024, and 286 special teams snaps. Johnson had a 108.0 passer rating against in 2024, giving up 32 completions in 51 targets.

Johnson also reportedly visited with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday.

**In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride**

**NFL appears to be loading up primetime spots with Chiefs early & often**

As we await the full NFL schedule to be released tonight at 7:00 p.m. Arrowhead Time, there have been plenty of unconfirmed but trustworthy leaks indicating the national spotlight still gravitates towards the Kansas City Chiefs, despite a down season in 2025.

It starts right off the bat: the Chiefs will definitely be opening the 2026 season against the Denver Broncos on “Monday Night Football” in Arrowhead Stadium, but there are also rumors that Week 2 will be under the lights at home as well: a date with the Indianapolis Colts on “Sunday Night Football” appears to be in the NFL’s plans.

That would be an unprecedented start to a season in the history of this storied franchise: no Chiefs team has ever begun a regular season with two “night” games, or games kicking off 7:00 p.m. or later. Whether that fact is an advantage for Kansas City is unknown, though I do see the Chiefs starting out hot in 2026, and each is at Arrowhead Stadium.

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