KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In just 23 days the Chiefs first-year players, quarterbacks and select veterans returning from injury will report to training camp in St. Joseph, marking the official start of the 2024 NFL campaign for the two-time defending Super Bowl champions.
For a team seeking an unprecedented third-straight Lombardi Trophy, it’s no surprise the Chiefs don’t have many training camp battles for starting positions. The biggest looming decision is at left tackle, but the Chiefs are comfortable with their options there no matter the winner of the job. What’s most impressive, however, is that general manager Brett Veach and his staff have assembled a 91-player roster including as many as 70 legitimate candidates to earn spots in the Week 1 lineup.
This isn’t a prediction for what the 53-player squad will look like on Aug. 27 when NFL teams must create their initial active roster for the 2024 season. Based on snap counts and depth charts during offseason practices, personal observations and player evaluations, and interviews with coaches, players and personnel staff, this is a mere snapshot of what that roster would look like today. Much can and will change between now and Aug. 27.
In this projection, players to watch are either first- or second-year players worth keeping an eye on during training camp or veteran players who are legitimate roster battle contestants or strong practice squad candidates.
Quarterback (2)
Starter: Patrick Mahomes
Backup: Carson Wentz
Player to watch: Chris Oladokun
In the mix: Ian Book
This is the easiest position group on the club to evaluate and arguably the strongest room on the team. Oladokun and Book could compete for No. 2 jobs on plenty of NFL teams. In adding Wentz, the Chiefs have their most experienced and credentialed backup behind Mahomes in his young career. Chad Henne was 33 years old with an 18-35 career record as a starter when he arrived in 2018, followed by 35-year-old Matt Moore (15-15) and 33-year-old Blaine Gabbert (13-35). At age 31, Wentz should have plenty left in the tank, and his 47-45-1 record underlines his experience. The 26-year-old Oladokun sports a strong upside and performed well when given opportunities and served as an able scout team quarterback.
Running back (4)
Starters: Isiah Pacheco
Backups: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Deneric Prince and Louis Rees-Zammit
Player to watch: Emani Bailey
In the mix: Keontay Ingram and Carson Steele
Pacheco and Edwards-Helaire are locks for the roster if healthy, and Rees-Zammit moved closer to securing a roster spot during every day of offseason workouts. His biggest test looms ahead when the team puts on the pads for the first team in training camp, and if he clears that he should find a role on this team as a jack of all trades as a chess piece on offense and an X-factor on special teams. However, he’s not a true running back yet, so the No. 3 role will likely fall on the shoulders of someone else. Prince holds that spot now thanks to his year of experience with the club and a strong training camp last season. But if the Chiefs want a different flavor in the backfield, Bailey makes up for his size (5-foot-7, 202 pounds) with a muscular build and strong receiving skills to excel as a third-down back. If Reid wants to restore the fullback position, Steele is a quality candidate.
Wide Receiver (7)
Starters: Hollywood Brown, Rashee Rice and Justin Watson
Backups: Xavier Worthy, Nikko Remigio, Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney
Players to watch: Mecole Hardman, Justyn Ross and Montrell Washington
In the mix: Cornell Powell, Phillip Brooks and Jaaron Hayek
Let’s dispense with the easy decisions: Brown, Rice, Watson and Worthy are almost 100% locks to make the Week 1 roster. However, there are many questions to answer after that with up to three roster spots available for potentially seven realistic candidates. Remigio is the offseason star but has to prove in camp that it wasn’t a fluke, especially after the pads come on and in the preseason games. The Chiefs don’t show any signs of giving up on Moore, although there does appear a little waning confidence in Toney despite his fully guaranteed $2.53 million salary for 2024. Hardman provides insurance if Remigio falters, The 29-year-old Watson shows his age or Worthy’s injury lingers. It’s a wide-open race after the top-four spots.
Tight End (3)
Starter: Travis Kelce
Backups: Noah Gray and Jared Wiley
Players to watch: Irv Smith Jr. and Baylor Cupp
In the mix: Gerrit Prince
The biggest question among the tight end group is how many will the Chiefs keep. Kelce, Gray and Wiley will make the team if healthy. Smith was the final cut in this roster projection to free space for a seventh receiver. Cupp has shown a ton of potential during offseason workouts as a developmental project, and the local product Prince (Shawnee Mission Northwest High School and Butler Community College) has experience in the system if he’s needed. The Chiefs have never had more than two tight ends reach the 200-yard receiving mark in a single season. Could they make it three this year? If Kelce stays healthy and Wiley develops as anticipated, this could be Kansas City’s deepest tight end squad in club history.
Offensive Line (10)
Starters: LT Kingsley Suamataia, LG Joe Thuney, C Creed Humphrey, RG Trey Smith and RT Juwaan Taylor
Backups: Wanya Morris, Lucas Niang, Mike Caliendo, Hunter Nourzad and C.J. Hanson
Players to watch: Ethan Driskell and Chukwuebuka Godrick
In the mix: Nick Torres, Griffin McDowell and McKade Mettauer
Some decisions the Chiefs must make on the offensive line this season will depend as much on needs in 2025 as well. Assuming Suamataia lands the left tackle job, the starting line is set. Morris is a capable swing tackle but the Chiefs have faith in Niang as well. Caliendo is currently prepping as the primary backup at all three interior positions but Nourzad is a likely starter on the interior in 2025. Will the Chiefs need Hanson there next year as well? It would be a risk to expose him to waivers. Godrick is the team’s international exempt player, which guarantees him a space on the practice squad. Driskell is a wildcard to watch with both scouts and coaches extolling his virtues. Can the Chiefs keep 10 offensive linemen? They may not have a choice.
Defensive Line (9)
Starters: DE George Karlaftis, DT Chris Jones, DT Derrick Nnadi and DE Mike Danna
Backups: DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DT Tershawn Wharton, DT Neil Farrell, DE Malik Herring and DE BJ Thompson
Players to watch: DT Mike Pennel, DT Fabien Lovett, DT Matt Dickerson and DE Truman Jones
In the mix: DT Alex Gubner and DT Isaiah Buggs
Physically Unable to Perform List: DE Charles Omenihu
The Chiefs have brought back virtually every defensive lineman from last year’s Super Bowl squad, so why does this group seem to have so much chaos? Injury (Omenihu), illness (Thompson) and off-the-field issues (Buggs) have created questions for this group. There are other questions as well. Is Anudike-Uzomah ready to step into a larger role? Is Farrell prepared to contribute after largely a redshirt year? Will Pennel start the season on the roster or will the Chiefs keep him the 33-year-old in reserve for the second half of the season and the playoffs? The four starters along with Anudike-Uzomah and Wharton appear certain to make the opening roster but everything else is a question mark heading to camp.
Linebacker (5)
Starters: SLB Leo Chenal, MLB Nick Bolton and WLB Drue Tranquill
Backups: OLB/MLB Cam Jones and MLB/OLB Jack Cochrane
Players to watch: OLB Curtis Jacobs and OLB Cole Christiansen
In the mix: OLB Luquqay Washington and OLB Swayze Bozeman
Kansas City’s linebacker unit has had holes in the past but this squad has more upside than perhaps any trio since Derrick Johnson, Justin Houston and Josh Mauga a decade ago. Cochrane is a steady backup and special teams star and sports three-position versatility along with Jones, who had 11 solo tackles in his Week 18 start last year. Behind them, veteran Christiansen and undrafted free agent Jacobs from Penn State are also in the mix for jobs. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Chiefs kept eight defensive linemen and six linebackers, especially since the new kickoff rules should favor athletic linebackers and safeties.
Cornerback (6)
Starters: Trent McDuffie and Joshua Williams
Backups: Nazeeh Johnson, Nic Jones, Jaylen Watson and Kamal Hadden
Players to watch: Ekow Boye-Doe, Kelvin Joseph, Keith Taylor and Miles Battle
In the mix: Chris Rolland-Wallace and D.J. Miller
General manager Brett Veah and his staff should have a tough time narrowing down this group to five or six. Even identifying the rotation behind McDuffie could pose a challenge with Williams, Johnson, Jones and Watson all having compelling cases. No one benefitted from offseason workouts as much as Williams, who ended minicamp starting across from McDuffie. But Johnson appears to have picked up where he left off last year before his ACL injury and should push Williams into camp. McDuffie expects to play more on the outside this year, which opens the door for Jones as a potential slot corner. Watson, who played much of last season with a torn labrum in his shoulder, faces the challenge of proving he’s ready after offseason surgery. Assuming the top five corners are healthy and ready to go for Week 1, that leaves sixth-round draft pick Kamal Hadden, second-year undrafted free agent Ekow Boye-Doe, and veteran Kelvin Joseph and Keith Taylor battling for — maybe — one spot. There will be quality NFL corners who don’t make this club.
Safety (4)
Starters: Justin Reid and Bryan Cook
Backups: Chamarri Conner and Jaden Hicks
Players to watch: Trey Dean
In the mix: Deon Bush
The Chiefs are arguably a bit thin at safety for training camp but right now it doesn’t pose an issue for their season depth chart. The top four are set and Bush is a valuable veteran to have stashed on the practice squad for injury insurance and special teams depth, especially late in the season. Dean, a 2023 undrafted free agent — was impressive during offseason workouts with his fire and enthusiasm. It’s hard to find a spot for him on the roster for now, but his job, as Andy Reid will tell his players, is to make it tough for the Chiefs to let him.
Specialist (3)
Starters: K Harrison Butker, P Matt Araiza and LS James Winchester
The Chiefs waived undrafted rookie free agent Ryan Rehkow from BYU following the mandatory minicamp, and that means no competition for the specialist for now. The biggest questions in training camp will focus on Ariaza as a holder for Butker and how big of a role Justin Reid will play on special teams as a kickoff specialist.
Summary
In addition to the 53 players on the roster, I project another 16 players with reasonable chances of making a bid to make the roster. Injuries will unfortunately intervene, and occasionally a player who shines during offseason workouts looks different with the pads on and under the lights. No one makes the team in June.
Looking at the roster from a college basketball postseason perspective, here are my last four players on the roster and my first five out:
Last four in: WR Kadarius Toney, WR Skyy Moore, DE Malik Herring and OT Lucas Niang
Last four out: TE Irv Smith Jr., WR Mecole Hardman, CB Ekow Boye-Doe, CB Kelvin Joseph and DT Fabien Lovett
If the Chiefs look to make a trade, there are strong potential targets here. While it seems unlikely the Chiefs are ready to give up on Moore, there are certainly teams that think they have the key to unlocking his potential. The depth of the Kansas City offensive line makes a player such as Niang a luxury for the Chiefs but he could play a larger role on another club. The Chiefs promoted Boye-Doe to the active roster last season because he had an offer to sign with another club off the practice squad. Flipping an undrafted player for a pick would be a great return but the Chiefs obviously also rate Boye-Doe highly.
One thing is for certain — everything will be decided on the fields in St. Joseph starting when the Chiefs open practice on July 21.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story included 10 defensive linemen instead of nine for 54 players on the active roster. We apologize for the error.
