It has been over two weeks since the Kansas City Chiefs began training camp on the grass fields at Missouri Western State University in St. Joe. I learned a lot from the 11 trips I made up I-29 to cover Chiefs practice in person for Arrowhead Pride.
So with a push from user “saintschiefsfan,” I’m here to spread all the knowledge I gathered watching full-team practices before the preseason kicks off. This was their comment on a post Friday morning.
First of all , thank you for giving us breakdowns and tweets every day from ST. Joe. If there is anyone who knows how brutal it gets in the summer up there, it is me. So I appreciate all you have done for us fans. I am going to do something I have never done as a member of this site. I want to make a request. Given that you have been up there for all this camp, can you break down or give levels of concern for every position group on the team going into this game? I think it would be very helpful since you saw more live reps than probably anyone else on AP. Thank you.
Ask, and you might receive! With 24 hours to go until the preseason begins, let’s break down each position group on the Chiefs’ roster by how I’ve seen it shaking out at practice, pointing out which groups give the most concern.
Quarterbacks (4)
- Starter: Patrick Mahomes
- Backup competition: Justin Fields and Garrett Nussmeier
- Potential practice squad: Chris Oladokun
There’s little doubt in my mind that the Chiefs’ quarterback play in the preseason will be some of the best Kansas City has seen since Patrick Mahomes’ rookie year. Fields has the talent to create big plays with his arm and legs in a preseason setting, while Nussmeier, the rookie from LSU, has looked the part of a legitimate NFL prospect in camp.
The concern is whether the Chiefs are willing to keep him on the roster as a third quarterback, or if they’ll risk losing him to the waiver wire on cutdown day.
Running backs (6)
- Lead back: Kenneth Walker
- Backup competition: Brashard Smith, Emari Demercado and Emmett Johnson
- Potential practice squad: Jaydn Ott and E.J. Smith
The first four seem pretty set in stone; it will just be about how the order plays out in a given game or matchup.
Wide receivers (14)
- Starting receivers: Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton
- Backup competition: Cyrus Allen, Jalen Royals, Nikko Remigio, Andrew Armstrong and Jimmy Holiday
- Potential practice squad: Jacob De Jesus, Omari Evans, Jeff Weimer, Xavier Loyd, Jason Brownlee and Jeff Caldwell
With my earlier compliment of the quarterbacks, there’s reason to believe we’ll get to see rookies and newcomers at this position showcase their skills, even without Mahomes in the game. And we’ll need to see it.
I have a high level of concern about the fragility of the Chiefs’ starting receiving corps, but that fear can subside if Allen, Royals, Armstrong, and others prove to be quality role players in the regular season.
Tight ends (6)
First-team tight ends: Travis Kelce, Noah Gray and Jared Wiley
Competing to earn a roster spot as the fourth tight end: Jake Briningstool, Tre Watson and Mason Pline
This is one of the most intriguing positions to follow in the preseason games, considering how much work players behind Kelce and Gray should get. Wiley, who suffered a hamstring injury this week, has been a staple in the Chiefs’ starting offense all camp, but he (and Gray) needs to show it in the preseason to stave off the momentum building for Briningstool.
I initially projected the team to keep just three tight ends, but Briningstool looks like he will perform well in the preseason and push the team to make room for him one way or another. His receiving skills will be on display the most. I’m still concerned about this group’s blocking ability after Kelce if the offense leans into that identity.
Offensive line (15)
First-team offensive line
Left tackle Josh Simmons
Left guard Kingsley Suamataia
Center Creed Humphrey
Right guard Kahlil Benson
Right tackle Jaylon Moore
Second-team offensive line
Left tackle Esa Pole
Left guard Mike Caliendo
Center Hunter Nourzad
Right guard Pete Nygra
Right tackle Ethan Driskell
Potential practice squad
Right tackle Chu Godrick
Guard C.J. Hanson
Tackle/Guard Matt Waletzko
Guard Josh Thompson
If the injury to right guard Trey Smith (hip) is short-term, like head coach Andy Reid says it is, there’s little concern for me about the offensive line.
It will be important to see how the Chiefs handle rookie Kahlil Benson in the preseason, however. If he sticks inside at guard with Smith presumably not playing on Saturday, it may indicate the team is ready to move forward with him as the first player off the bench at guard rather than the starting right tackle, but an extended look at him at right tackle could say the opposite.
Defensive ends (9)
Starting rotation: George Karlaftis, Ashton Gillotte, Felix Anudike-Uzomah and R Mason Thomas
Competing to earn a roster spot as the fifth defensive end: Emmanuel Ogbah, Tyreke Smith and Ethan Hurkett
Potential practice squad: V.J. Anthony and Anthony Dunn
This position is very concerning, specifically the second edge rusher opposite Karlaftis.
All eyes will be on No. 51 to see if Thomas’ first step is real, but all eyes should shift towards a fourth-year player from Kansas State. Anudike-Uzomah could be a difference-making X-factor if he finally puts it all together, but he has actually rushed from an interior alignment a lot of times this camp. Gillotte suffered a hamstring injury during the first week of camp and has been out since.
The team signed Ogbah for a reason, but the unproven players in this group can still make a statement in the preseason and strengthen confidence.
Defensive tackles (7)*
Starting rotation: Chris Jones, Khyiris Tonga, Peter Woods and Omarr Norman-Lott* (PUP)
Competing to be placeholder if Norman-Lott isn’t ready for Week 1: Marcus Harris and Cole Brevard
Potential practice squad: Damon Payne and Amari McNeill
The only note here is to watch for Harris, a penetrating, second-year lineman from Auburn who could be the substitute for Norman-Lott if he isn’t ready to go in Week 1. If the massive Brevard could prove to be a quality gap plugger, he may be a valuable piece to round out the hampered group at the start of the year.
Linebackers (8)
Starting linebackers in Base defense:
Nick Bolton — MIKE
Drue Tranquill — WILL
Cole McDonald — SAM
Competing to be backup linebackers on the active roster
Jack Cochrane — Backup MIKE
Jeffrey Bassa — WILL/SAM
Cole Christiansen — Backup at every position
Potential practice squad: Kam Arnold and Wesley Bissainthe
At the start of camp, I got excited about this group’s potential. It all depends on whether Bassa can be a jack-of-all-trades weapon that is used situationally around the main starters. Look for No. 31’s playmaking ability this preseason, blitzing, tackling in space, or in coverage.
Outside cornerbacks (8)
Starting rotation: Mansoor Delane, Nohl Williams and L’Jarius Sneed
Backup competition: Kristian Fulton, Melvin Smith and Kaiir Elam
Potential practice squad: D’Arco Perkins-McAllister and Zelmar Vedder
With the top of this group dealing with plenty of injuries, Smith has played a lot of reps with the starting defense to this point in camp. It’s worth considering whether Fulton is someone the team would be willing to trade for if he flashes in the preseason; he has rarely played with the starters in camp.
Either way, the biggest preseason concern is the lack of time this group has spent on the field at full speed and full contact. We’ll learn little about that part of it this weekend.
No. 19 Perkins-McAllister is a long-armed, physical body on the outside to keep an eye on in preseason.
Slot defenders (4)
Starter (Nickel): Christian Roland-Wallace
Backup competition: Kader Kohou, Jadon Canady and Kevin Knowles
As a big fan of Knowles, I’ll be looking for him to give the Chiefs a reason to cut ties with the newly signed Kohou. It seems like those two are fighting for a final spot on the roster, while the rookie fourth-round pick, Canady, could be the closest player to eventually supplanting Roland-Wallace as the starter here.
The Oregon product has flashed in camp, specifically in coverage. If he can show an ability to hold up around the line of scrimmage and in the box, he could be a part of the starting defense sooner than it has appeared so far.
Safeties (6)
Starting duo: Alohi Gilman and Chamarri Conner
Backup competition: Jaden Hicks, Xavier Nwankpa and DeShon Singleton
Potential practice squad: Tanner McAlister
The biggest headline for this position is the lack of time Hicks has gotten to rotate in as a starting safety. To my eye, he has been stuck on the second team for the most part, so look for him to make a statement with his play, potentially earning the trust of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo before Week 1.
There’s only one spot for Nwankpa and Singleton, in my opinion. The former seems to have a strong hold on that spot, but Singleton could overtake him with a strong preseason.