Watch out for these 5 Kansas City Chiefs UDFAs who can steal some of the spotlight from veterans during OTAs
The Chiefs will wrap their first group of OTAs on Thursday with a practice open to media members. Here are five UDFAs poised to steal some of the spotlight from veterans during this time period.
The Kansas City Chiefs will hold their first OTAs practice session open to media members on Thursday, May 28. It’ll provide a first glimpse of 2026 NFL Draft picks and undrafted free agent rookies against veteran competition. We’ll begin to learn whether the league is too big for them or if they fit right in. Some of them are even poised to earn some time in the spotlight while working with the vets for the first time.
We’re not going to be discussing anyone in the trenches because Andy Reid considers these practices “passing camps.” They’re not very good for evaluating any of the position groups that make a living out of contact. They are, however, great for evaluating pass-catchers and defenders against them. So, sorry to Damon Payne, Cole Brevard, Amari McNeill, Anthony Dunn, VJ Anthony, Pete Nygra, Josh Thompson, and Kahlil Benson. We’ll double back to you guys once the pads come on.
With that in mind, here are five UDFAs who could steal some of the spotlight from veteran players during OTAs.
Chiefs’ 2026 Offseason Workout Schedule
OTAs consist of on-field workouts with individual and group components. 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 team drills and walkthroughs are allowed during OTAs, but still no padded practices or live contact.
- Organized Team Activities Group 1: May 26-28
- Organized Team Activities Group 2: June 1-3
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 9-11
WR Jeff Caldwell is the most notable for the Chiefs
There’s a lot of hype for Cincinnati WR Jeff Caldwell because of his freakish athletic profile and the players he compares to. Maybe there’s not enough consideration given to the fact that he’s in a good situation, too. The Chiefs drafted his college teammate, WR Cyrus Allen, who he’ll have to lean on as he learns the system and vice versa. As far as opportunity goes, it’s very much so there for the taking. With Rashee Rice incarcerated and Xavier Worthy wearing the yellow non-contact jersey, there’s going to be chances for wide receivers to stand out and position themselves for a move up the depth chart ahead of training camp.
WR Jacob De Jesus might be the most underrated Chiefs receiver you need to know
If you don’t know the name Jacob De Jesus, you’d better get familiar. The diminutive wideout had 108 receptions (1,030 yards and six touchdowns) with Cal in 2025, ranking second-most in the FBS. Yes, he’s only 5-foot-7 and 170 pounds. But he’s already making plays against veteran DBs, like this slick route against third-year safety and slot corner Chris Roland-Wallace. Combine that with his special teams prowess, and you have to wonder if he’s not a shoo-in to make the roster.
LB Wesley Bissainthe can give the Chiefs what they’ve been lacking at the WILL spot
Typically, I’d leave linebackers out of this conversation, too. However, Bissainthe is the type who could flash during OTAs because of his speed. He’s a tad undersized by linebacker standards at 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, but he ran a 4.63 40-yard dash in the pre-draft process. The All-ACC linebacker allowed receptions on just 63.6% of his targets last season per PFF, which tied for 16th in the FBS among draft-eligible linebackers. He also had an interception for the Hurricanes last season, the second of his college career. If he can show a knack for finding the football in coverage, he’ll be in a good spot.
Local TE John Michael Gyllenborg has a good opportunity at OTAs
One of the things about these OTAs workouts is that work remains voluntary until mandatory minicamp. Players can essentially come and go as they choose. With a trio of veterans atop the tight end depth chart, I wouldn’t be shocked if there are one or two practices without full attendance. Even if that’s not the case, Gyllenborg is the lone newcomer at the tight end position for Kansas City. It’s not like the running back or wide receiver positions, where there are a ton of newcomers vying for playing time. Now’s the perfect time for Gyllenborg to show off that 6-foot-6 size and 4.6s speed.
Chiefs CB Zelmar Vedder can show off his best trait
Given that the passing game is on full display, cornerbacks often have the opportunity to show off their coverage skills. Vedder was very good at forcing incomplete passes during the 2025 college football season at Houston. The 6-foot-3 and 195-pound corner ranked 25th in forced incompletion percentage (19%) in 2025 among draft-eligible FBS cornerbacks with at least 100 snaps. For context, that’s a higher rate than fourth-round pick Jadon Canady. Mansoor Delane ranked fourth at 31% forced incompletion rate. He was only targeted 32 times and allowed 17 receptions with six forced incompletions per PFF.