KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Here is my second attempt a predicting the Kansas City Chiefs' 53-man roster before the final cutdown must be completed at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 30, based on observing 11 training-camp practices and one preseason game.
General Manager Brett Veach has some quality running backs and wide receivers who could find positions on other NFL rosters, but the team looks thin with respect to its offensive line depth and could always use more pass-rush help.
RELATED | Nick Jacobs' initial prediction for Kansas City Chiefs' 53-man roster
QUARTERBACKS (2)
On the roster: Patrick Mahomes and Chad Henne
Practice squad potential: Shane Buechele
Waived/released: Dustin Crum
The franchise goes as Mahomes goes. He is the most important piece in a Chiefs championship run every season.
Henne showed increased accuracy throughout training camp but far too often takes the checkdowns.
Buechele continues to develop as a third-string quarterback but has issues with his accuracy at times in practice and is more of a performer in the moment of games versus practices.
Crum struggles with his accuracy and decision making.
RUNNING BACKS/FULLBACK (4)
On the roster: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Jerrick McKinnon, Isiah Pacheco and Michael Burton
Practice squad potential: Derrick Gore
Waived/released: Ronald Jones, Derrick Gore and Tayon Fleet-Davis
The Chiefs' could easily carry four halfbacks on the active roster.
Jones has good sets in pass protection but he has struggled with the style of plays the team runs. He's a north-south, between-the-tackles runner who is far too often being asked to run east-west. That doesn’t fit his ability and he's struggled with a lot of drops attempting to catch the ball.
Gore could be the fourth back for special teams and in case of injuries, but his ability is replaceable on the open market for a practice squad spot if he goes to another team.
Fleet-Davis has a ways to go in his development with respect to vision, speed and pass protection.
WIDE RECEIVERS (6)
On the roster: Juju Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore, Mecole Hardman Jr., Justin Watson and Daurice Fountain
On the bubble: Corey Coleman
Practice squad potential: Jerrion Ealy and Cornell Powell
Waived/released: Josh Gordon and Aaron Parker
The Chiefs have an interesting final decision to finalize their roster. If they keep six receivers, it probably comes down to Fountain or Coleman.
Fountain provides more experience on special teams, but Coleman provides more athletic ability for both the offense and special teams.
Ealy and Powell have shown enough promise to merit ongoing development.
Unfortunately, Gordon's time in the NFL may be coming to an end, while Parker could make another roster as a developmental practice squad player.
TIGHT ENDS (4)
On the roster: Travis Kelce, Jody Fortson, Noah Gray and Blake Bell
Practice squad potential: Jordan Franks and Matt Bushman
Waived/released: n/a
The Chiefs had arguably one of their best tight end groups during the Andy Reid era at camp. Each player had the necessary strengths for the position but each one also brought a unique skillset.
Gray took a big step forward athletically and in blocking from last year to now and Fortson is starting to regain his old form.
Franks and Bushman could both make the active roster if the position wasn’t already stacked.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (9)
On the roster: Orlando Brown Jr., Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, Andrew Wylie, Nick Allegretti, Austin Reiter, Geron Christian and Darian Kinnard
Practice squad potential: Michael Caliendo and Prince Tega Wanogho
Waived/released: Chris Glaser, Vitally Gurman, Roderick Johnson and David Steinmetz
Physically-unable-to-perform: Lucas Niang
The Chiefs offensive line doesn’t appear set to me. I don’t believe they have a starting right tackle.
Andrew Wylie may be the placeholder, and he will perform to the best of his ability, but he is a quality guard that is best used at tackle because of his athletic versatility.
The team needs to find offensive-tackle depth before the regular season begins. Christian and Kinnard are on the roster by default at this time for me until they can find serviceable replacements.
Kinnard is going to need awhile to develop and likely need to kick inside to guard to make it in the league.
The depth along the offensive line will be a concern for me throughout the season. Kansas City can’t afford to have any injuries.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (10)
On the roster: Chris Jones, Frank Clark, George Karlaftis, Danny Shelton, Carlos Dunlap, Mike Danna, Tershawn Wharton, Derrick Nnadi, Khalen Saunders and Malik Herring
Practice squad potential: Joshua Kaindoh and Azur Karama
Waived/released: Taylor Stallworth, Matt Dickerson and Kehinde Oginni Hassan
The Chiefs really needed to add additional help along the defensive line during the camp and they were able to make that happen with Carlos Dunlap and Danny Shelton.
Dunlap gives them a long-armed defensive end who can rotate with Karlaftis and upgrades what Kaindoh could potentially provide on the roster.
Shelton was the block-eating one-tech defensive tackle that the Chiefs desperately needed to allow their entire defensive line to get one-on-one matchups and collapse the pocket.
Danna is a serviceable rotational run support end who gives maximum effort, Wharton is a solid rotational rusher who is still developing, and Nnadi provides another reliable run-stuffing defensive tackle for short-yardage situations and to rotate snaps with Shelton.
Saunders and Herring are the mysteries on the roster. Shelton's signing made Saunders expendable. The former third-round pick is an athletic lineman who may need to play some special teams to justify a roster spot.
Herring has the quickest hands outside of Jones on the defensive line. He is versatile enough to play end or tackle as well as find a role on special teams. He has more upside than the rest but it may still not be enough.
LINEBACKER (5)
On the roster: Nick Bolton, Willie Gay Jr., Elijah Lee, Darius Harris and Leo Chenal
Practice squad potential: Jack Cochrane and Mike Rose
Waived/released: Jermaine Carter
Bolton, Gay and Lee should be secure as the starters.
Harris getting the green-dotted helmet and helping call the defense as a backup should give him a leg up on the competition along with his ability to contribute on special teams.
Chenal is a downhill linebacker who can help stuff the run, blitz and come up big in short-yardage situations.
Carter looked lost far too often in the scheme and appeared to be a liability in coverage.
CORNERBACKS (6)
On the roster: L’Jarius Sneed, Rashad Fenton, Trent McDuffie, Joshua Williams, Jaylen Watson and Nazeeh Johnson
On the bubble: DiCaprio Bootle and Chris Lammons
Practice squad potential: n/a
Waived/released: Brandin Dandridge
The cornerback spot will be interesting. This is likely one of the final spots up for grabs and the special-teams snaps may answer the question as to which plays make the final cut.
Watson and Johnson still need development before they are ready to routinely contribute on defense, but they may not clear waivers based on athletic ability alone.
Bootle has had a good camp and is worth of a roster spot, while Lammons could make it purely for a veteran special-teams presence.
SAFETIES (4)
On the roster: Juan Thornhill, Justin Reid, Bryan Cook and Deon Bush
Practice squad potential: Nasir Greer
Waived/released: Devon Key
The Chiefs probably covet versatility with their sixth cornerback spot — someone who can help at corner, safety and on special teams. That is where Johnson comes into play among the cornerbacks.
Bush should secure his roster spot based off experience and special-teams contributions alone, while Greer has done enough to justify a practice-squad spot.
Key looks like a player who lost his confidence in preseason last year and never regained his form.
SPECIALISTS (3)
On the roster: K Harrison Butker, P Tommy Townsend and LS James Winchester
Practice squad potential: n/a
Waived/released: n/a
The specialist position is set in stone and has some unexpected reinforcements in a pinch with Justin Reid at kicker, Juan Thornhill at placeholder and a couple other roles.
ROSTER BREAKDOWN
Offense: 25
Defense: 25
Specialists: 3
The Chiefs' second preseason game against the Washington Commanders kicks off at 3 p.m. on Saturday and can be seen on KSHB 41. Our coverage begins at 2 p.m. with a one-hour pregame special.
All NFL teams must reduce their roster from 85 to 80 by Tuesday, Aug. 23, before final cut downs a week later.
