The Kansas City Chiefs are seemingly trapped in a revolving door of injury concerns at the wide receiver position, as every time one pass-catcher gets healthy another finds his way to the sideline with a health concern.
Those problems began all the way back in the spring, as Rashee Rice underwent knee surgery before promptly heading to jail for 30 days because of a probation violation that complicated his rehabilitation. Since then, Xavier Worthy, fifth-round rookie Cyrus Allen and deep threat Tyquan Thornton have all suffered health concerns.
And while Thornton got back onto the practice field Wednesday, August 19, undrafted rookie Jeff Caldwell replaced him on the sideline with a leg injury.
“Chiefs WR Jeff Caldwell in the training tent getting an exam in his left leg,” Matt Derrick of Chiefs Digest reported via an X post. “Took a hit during the last play in team period and was in immediate pain, gingerly putting weight on left side.”
“Jeff Caldwell heading up the hill for further examination,” Derrick added in a follow-up report.
Chiefs Made Meaningful Investment in Jeff Caldwell as Undrafted Rookie Free Agent
GettyKansas City Chiefs rookie wide receiver Jeff Caldwell.
Caldwell is a 23-year-old, undrafted rookie out of Cincinnati. He received just one target in Kansas City’s preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams and failed to record a catch.
Standing at six-feet, five-inches tall and weighing 215 pounds, Caldwell joined the Chiefs immediately following the NFL draft in late April and has maintained his spot on the expanded roster for nearly four months.
Caldwell signed a three-year deal worth $3.125 million that included a guarantee of $272,500, which is substantial enough to render him one of the more valued UDFAs in Kansas City this offseason.
That said, there is little chance the Chiefs will hold out a 53-man roster spot for the wideout if whatever injury he sustained on Wednesday proves at all severe or the return timeline ends up lengthy.
Caldwell finished the 2025 campaign at Cincinnati with 32 catches for 478 yards and six touchdowns across 13 games played.
Cyrus Allen’s Health, Andrew Armstrong’s Quality Preseason Could Complicate Jeff Caldwell’s Future With Chiefs
GettyRookie wide receiver Cyrus Allen of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Allen’s shin injury in early August cracked a door for Caldwell to potentially find a spot at the end of the position group. But Allen’s return to health and Caldwell’s subsequent injury have flipped the script on that narrative completely.
Beyond that, 2025 UDFA Andrew Armstrong is having a strong camp for Kansas City and produced a decent showing in the first preseason contest last weekend.
“Andrew Armstrong is a name Chiefs fans may not know yet, but they’ll want to,” Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports wrote on August 15. “He is a strong run and pass blocker. He had a play where he planted a Rams defensive back into the ground around the 50-yard line. That’s the type of play Kansas City doesn’t get enough of out of their receivers.”
Armstrong also hauled in his sole target of the day, gaining 17 yards in the process. Furthermore, head coach Andy Reid has been complimentary of the 25-year-old WR, and Armstrong has subsequently become a solid name to watch regarding the initial 53-man roster, which the Chiefs will submit to the league at the end of this month.
Chiefs Rookie Carted Off, as Injuries to WR Group Continue