Sep 29, 2014; Kansas City, MO; General view of pregame introductions at Arrowhead Stadium. Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
The Kansas City Chiefs have 76 players on the roster ahead of the 2015 NFL Draft, where the Chiefs are set with 10 draft picks.
Teams are allowed a maximum of 90 players on the offseason roster, in accordance with NFL rules.
The Chiefs were active at the start of the league’s calendar year to address holes, including the signings of wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, guard Paul Fanaika and safety Tyvon Branch, and trading for guard Ben Grubbs.
Kansas City also took care of its own by re-signing safety Ron Parker, linebacker Josh Mauga and wide receiver Jason Avant, among others, while reworking the contracts of defensive end Mike DeVito and outside linebacker Tamba Hali.
After the flurry of activity, the Chiefs currently have $2.82 million in remaining cap space, according to the NFLPA.
Offseason rosters are forever fluid, and the Chiefs already have brewing position battles before drafted players and undrafted free-agent signings add more competition.
But where a player lines up for a contested position where won’t be determined until the start of organized team activities (OTAs) at the earliest, with eventual winners not declared until well into training camp.
In the meantime, here is the Chiefs’ current roster as of March 28:
OFFENSE
| Quarterback (5) | Alex Smith, Chase Daniel, Tyler Bray, Aaron Murray, Terrelle Pryor |
Smith is the clear starter, while Daniel should get pushed by Murray for the backup spot.
Bray suffered a torn ACL in January, so there’s no guarantee he will be ready for training camp, much less the 2015 season.
Pryor signed a reserve/future contract in January.
| Running back (5) | Jamaal Charles, Knile Davis, De’Anthony Thomas, Cyrus Gray, Charcandrick West |
The Chiefs would be wise to start looking down the road for Charles’ heir-apparent if Davis isn’t considered the future. Charles turns 29 in December, and the 2015 draft class is considered deep at the running back position.
Thomas sees time at various spots on the field, and shouldn’t be considered a full-time running back.
Gray, a standout on special teams, returns from a torn ACL, while West offers intrigue heading into his second season.
| Fullback (2) | Anthony Sherman, Spencer Ware |
The Chiefs signed Sherman to a three-year contract extension on Nov. 5, 2014, so he’s not going anywhere.
Ware signed a reserve/future deal in January.
| Wide receiver (9) | Jeremy Maclin, Jason Avant, Albert Wilson, Junior Hemingway, Frankie Hammond Jr., Armon Binns, Fred Williams, Da’Rick Rogers, Corbin Louks |
Maclin and Avant anchor a young wide receiver corps, led by promising second-year pro Albert Wilson. Hemingway and Hammond were tendered as exclusive rights free agents.
Binns and Williams spent time on the practice squad in 2014, so both should be familiar with the complex offensive scheme.
The Chiefs will likely add another wide receiver through the draft or bring in undrafted free agents to boost competition.
| Offensive Tackle (5) | Eric Fisher, Donald Stephenson, Curtis Feigt, Derek Sherrod, Jeff Allen |
Fisher is locked in at left tackle, but the right side remains in the air.
Coach Andy Reid said at the league’s annual meeting Stephenson is the guy “right now,” which basically translates to an open battle between Stephenson, Allen and Sherrod, a former first-round pick of the Green Bay Packers.
The Chiefs should use the draft to draft another offensive tackle if the team doesn’t feel Stephenson and Allen are long-term answers. Both enter the final year of respective contracts.
Allen can also play guard, but tackle is considered his natural position. The fourth-year pro closed out his college career at Illinois with 47 starts, eight coming at right tackle and 38 at left tackle.
Feigt spent time on the practice squad last season before signing a reserve/future deal in January.
| Guard (6) | Ben Grubbs, Paul Fanaika, Zach Fulton, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Ricky Henry, Jarrod Pughsley |
Grubbs, a two-time Pro Bowl selection (2011, 2013), projects as the starting left guard after being acquired in a trade with the New Orleans Saints in exchange for a fifth-round pick.
The starting right guard battle will feature Fanaika, who signed a three-year free-agent contract, against Fulton, last season’s starter.
| Center (1) | Eric Kush |
Kush is the only center on the roster, but that scenario is sure to change before OTAs. Expect the Chiefs to either draft a center or sign an undrafted free agent to bolster depth.
| Tight end (5) | Travis Kelce, Demetrius Harris, Richard Gordon, Adam Schiltz, Brandon Barden |
Kelce is the elite receiving option of the group and will command a lot of looks with Anthony Fasano now with the Tennessee Titans.
The Chiefs enjoyed success with the three-tight end set last year before Harris suffered a season-ending fracture foot against the Bills, and Gordon has experience in the system.
Harris was tendered as an exclusive rights free agent, while Gordon was brought back on a one-year deal.
Schiltz and Barden spent time on the practice squad in 2014. Schiltz also spent time with the Chiefs during training camp last summer after Sean McGrath retired.
DEFENSE
| Defensive end (4) | Allen Bailey, Mike DeVito, Mike Catapano, Vaughn Martin |
Bailey, who signed a four-year contract extension on Nov. 15, 2014, is locked in at one defensive end spot and DeVito’s return from an Achilles injury offers stability on the other side.
That said, DeVito has one year remaining on his contract after taking a pay cut to return and turns 31 in June.
The Chiefs need to see what Catapano can do after he started the 2014 season on the non-football injury list with an illness before being moved to injured reserve.
Martin, a sixth-year pro, signed a one-year contract in February after stints with the San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins.
Kansas City will likely address depth and competition through the draft or with an undrafted free agent.
| Nose tackle (5) | Dontari Poe, Jaye Howard, Nick Williams, Jerel Worthy, Hebron Fangupo |
Another year offers another scenario of finding viable relief for Poe, who totaled 1,007 snaps (944 on defense) in 2014. Poe, who also enters the final year of his contract, has logged 1,000-plus total snaps in two straight seasons.
Williams joined the Chiefs on Nov. 24, 2014 after being signed off the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad. Worthy and Fangupo spent time on the Chiefs practice squad last season.
Howard can also play defensive end, where he started 10 games in place of DeVito last season.
| Outside linebacker (6) | Justin Houston, Tamba Hali, Dee Ford, Josh Martin, Frank Zombo, Dezman Moses |
Hali took a $3 million pay cut to stay with the Chiefs, but he is basically playing on a one-year deal and can become a free agent in 2016. His return, however, offers stability when considering the uncertainty surrounding Houston’s status after the Chiefs designated Houston as the non-exclusive franchise player.
The development of Ford, who enters his second season after being selected in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft, takes on importance in the upcoming season.
Martin was tendered as an exclusive rights free agent, while Moses signed a one-year deal before the start of free agency.
Zombo enters the final year of his contract.
| Inside linebacker (4) | Derrick Johnson, Josh Mauga, James-Michael Johnson, JoJo Dickson |
Derrick Johnson and Mauga, who signed a three-year deal, project as the starters. Johnson, however, returns from an Achilles injury, turns 33 in November and enters the final year of his contract. Mauga started all 16 games in 2014.
James-Michael Johnson, who appeared in 16 games with nine starts last season, enters the final year of his contract.
Dickson spent time on the practice squad before signing a reserve/future deal in January.
The Chiefs should address the inside linebacker position with an injection of youth through the draft.
| Cornerback (7) | Sean Smith, Phillip Gaines, Jamell Fleming, Marcus Cooper, Shaquille Richardson, Aaron Hester, Deji Olatoye |
This is a promising unit fresh off a season where the Chiefs ranked second against the pass and didn’t allow a 300-yard passer.
Smith started all 16 games in 2014, while Fleming appeared in seven games with four starts. Gaines, a third-round pick of the 2014 draft, offers a promising future after appearing in 13 games with five starts.
Cooper’s playing time was relegated to special teams after he lost his starting job to Fleming. Hester and Olatoye signed reserve/future deals in January, while Richardson signed a one-year contract in February.
The Chiefs should look to use the draft to add depth and competition, especially in light of Smith and Fleming entering the final year of their respective contracts.
| Strong safety (3) | Eric Berry, Ron Parker, Tyvon Branch |
The Chiefs addressed the uncertainty surrounding Berry, who is currently battling lymphoma, with the free-agent signing of Branch and re-signing of Parker.
Berry also enters the final year of his contract.
| Free safety (4) | Husain Abdullah, Kelcie McCray, Daniel Sorensen, Sanders Commings |
Abdullah, who started all 16 games in 2014, enters the final year of his contract.
The Chiefs could be in the market to add a safety to compete against McCracy and Sorensen, who was listed as a free safety on the team’s final depth chart of the 2014 season. McCray, a special teams ace, was brought back on a two-year contract.
Commings, a fifth-round pick of the 2013 draft, must stay healthy after his first two seasons have been wrecked by season-ending injuries.
SPECIALISTS
| Punter (1) | Dustin Colquitt |
Colquitt, one of the league’s top punters, is firmly entrenched as the starter.
| Kicker (1) | Cairo Santos |
Santos shook off a shaky start to the season and finished 2014 connecting on 25-of-30 field goal attempts.
| Long snapper (3) | Brandon Hartson, Jorgen Hus, James Winchester |
The Chiefs chose to not bring back Thomas Gafford, opening the door to a three-way battle at the long snapper position between Winchester, Hartson and Hus.
Kansas City signed Winchester to a two-year contract, while Hartson and Hus signed reserve/future deals.
