KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Fewer than five days from now the Chiefs must whittle a roster of 91 players down to 53 to start the regular season, and there are as many as a dozen roster decisions that should be resolved after the club faces the Cleveland Browns at noon Saturday at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
The biggest looming questions facing general manager Brett Veach and his staff include:
- Whether to carry three quarterbacks on the 53-player roster
- How many wide receivers, tight ends and running backs to carry entering the season
- Choosing between nine or 10 offensive linemen
- Whittling down a group of 14 defensive line prospects down to nine or 10
- Keeping a sixth cornerback or a fifth safety
The personnel department faces a quick turn after Saturday’s game. All teams must have their rosters reduced to 53 players by 3 p.m. central time Tuesday, Aug. 29. Clubs can begin assembling 16-player practice squads at 11 a.m. the next day.
Here’s my latest projection of how the Chiefs 53-player roster could look when final cuts are made Tuesday.
Quarterbacks (3)
Starter: Patrick Mahomes
Backups: Blaine Gabbert and Shane Buechele
Players to watch: Chris Oladokun
There’s a legitimate question now as to whether Gabbert or Buechele enters the season as the primary backup behind Mahomes but there should be less debate about keeping two or three quarterbacks. The new roster rules incentivize keeping a third quarterback. When considering that Gabbert’s $1.32 million contract is more than 80 percent guaranteed and Buechele is highly unlikely to clear waivers, there are many compelling reasons to keep three quarterbacks on the active roster.
Running Backs (3)
Starters: Isiah Pacheco
Backups: Jerick McKinnon and Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Players to watch: La’Michal Perine
In the mix: Jerrion Ealy and Deneric Prince
While Pacheco enters the season as the team’s starting running back, it was Edwards-Helaire who received the bulk of the work in the backfield during training camp. McKinnon has a clearly defined role as a situational back.
The real question comes down to whether the Chiefs can keep a fourth running back, and if so who wins the battle. Prince moved into the fourth spot on the depth chart during offseason workouts but sluggish preseason performances allowed Perine and Ealy to move ahead of him. A strong performance against Cleveland could bolster the resume of any of the three candidates but it still might not be enough.
Wide Receivers (7)
Starters: Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kadarius Toney and Sky Moore
Backups: Justin Watson, Rashee Rice, Richie James and Justyn Ross
Players to watch: Ihmir Smith-Marsette
In the mix: Cornell Powell, Ty Fryfogle, Ty Scott and Juwan Green
Injured reserve: Nikko Remigio
It still seems incongruous for the Chiefs to keep seven receivers but it also seems impossible to avoid. Five spots are virtually locks (Valdes-Scantling, Toney, Moore, Watson and Rice) and James as the kick and punt returner is a near certainty. The question is whether Ross makes this squad, and his upside ensures that is an easy decision.
In the unlikely event Toney lands on injured reserve starting the season, it’s entirely possible that the Chiefs could also move to protect Smith-Marsette.
Tight Ends (3)
Starter: Travis Kelce
Backups: Noah Gray and Matt Bushman
Players to watch: Blake Bell
In the mix: Kendall Blanton and Izaiah Gathings
Injured reserve: Jody Fortson
Kelce and Gray remain mainstays on the roster projection, and Bell will likely find his way on the Week 1 roster one way or another. The question is whether the Chiefs, who appear ready to embrace 13 personnel (one running back, three tight ends on the field) wholeheartedly, will keep Bushman on the 53-player roster. He’s had a solid training camp while showing some inconsistency in two preseason games (two catches for 40 yards on four targets). His position on the roster will likely depend more upon how many players the Chiefs choose to keep at other positions, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
Offensive Line (9)
Starters: LT Donovan Smith, LG Joe Thuney, C Creed Humphrey, RG Trey Smith and RT Jawaan Taylor
Backups: G/C Nick Allegretti, OT Wanya Morris, OT Prince Tega Wanogho and G/T Darian Kinnard
Players to watch: OT Lucas Niang and G/C Mike Caliendo
In the mix: C Austin Reiter, G Jerome Carvin, G/T Sebastian Gutierrez, C Anderson Hardy and T/G Chukwuebuka (Jason) Godrick
Allegretti’s shoulder injury throws a wrench into the offensive line group if their backup center isn’t ready for Week 1. Reiter would be the likely fill-in for Allegretti but it’s also hard to find a roster spot for him. Signing him to the practice squad would allow the Chiefs to elevate him for game day for the first couple of weeks of the season if needed.
Ideally, the Chiefs would keep 10 offensive linemen including Niang but again it’s tough to find the roster space.
Defensive Line (10)
Starters: DE George Karlaftis, DT Tershawn Wharton, DT Derrick Nnadi and DE Mike Danna
Backups: DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DT Danny Shelton, DT Keondre Coburn, DE BJ Thompson, DE Malik Herring and DE Joshua Kaindoh
Roster Exemption/Did Not Report: DT Chris Jones
Suspended list: DE Charles Omenihu
Players to watch: DT Chris Williams
In the mix: DT Daniel Wise, DT Phil Hoskins, DT Matt Dickerson and DE Truman Jones
With only two weeks until the season opener and a handful of practices remaining, it’s time to consider how the Chiefs roster may look without Jones on it. This projection presumes Jones will not report before Week 1, or if he does report the Chiefs receive a roster exemption for him starting the season.
Jones isn’t the only question mark, however, among the front four. The club will also open the season with Omenihu suspended for the first six games due to a violation of the league’s personal conduct policy. Wharton only returned to practice Wednesday after inflammation in his his knee slowed his recovery from a torn ACL. Rookie Anudike-Uzomah, Cobrun and Thompson all need more seasoning. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo concedes he and defensive line coach Joe Cullen are continuing to search for the right combination up front.
“Continuity comes with reps and being around each other and together and we haven’t had that, a lot of moving pieces right now,” Spagnuolo said. “Sometimes it takes your first quarter of the season to figure out who you are and what you have. Now along the way, you hope you’re winning games. But it might take us a little while to figure all that out.”
Wise and Dickerson have both had their opportunities at defensive tackle, and right now Williams is the latest to step into the rotation. The veteran Shelton also has a team-friendly contract ripe for releasing during the cut down to 53 players and re-signing after another transaction if necessary.
Linebackers (5)
Starters: WLB Willie Gay, MLB Nick Bolton and SLB Leo Chenal
Backups: Drue Tranquill and Jack Cochrane
In the mix: Cole Christiansen, Cam Jones and Olakunle Fatukasi
The projection for the linebacker group has remained constant throughout training camp. The Chiefs will likely keep five linebackers with Tranquill getting plenty of playing time in sub packages and Cochrane a four-phase special teams player.
Cornerbacks (5)
Starters: L’Jarius Sneed and Trent McDuffie
Backups: Joshua Williams, Jaylen Watson and Nic Jones
Injured reserve: Nazeeh Johnson
Players to watch: Ekow Boye-Doe and Kahlef Hailassie
In the mix: Dicaprio Bootle, Lamar Jackson, Reese Taylor and Duron Lowe
The expectation here is that Jones will start the season on injured reserve but needs to make the 53-player roster first in order for him to return later in the season. Jones going to injured reserve would pave the way for Boye-Doe to re-sign with the club as a fifth cornerback.
This assumes that Sneed, who hasn’t practiced since July 28, will be available to open the season. If Sneed can’t start in Week 1, Hailassie and Bootle both have chances to make the 53-player roster.
Safeties (5)
Starters: Justin Reid and Bryan Cook
Backups: Chamarri Conner, Mike Edwards and Deon Bush
Player to watch: Anthony Cook
In the mix: Isaiah Norman
The emergence of Conner has been an unexpected surprise as the fourth-round rookie has demonstrated the ability to play in multiple positions. Spagnuolo isn’t afraid to deploy Conner as a slot corner, and he could play a role very similar to the one Kendall Fuller filled during the 2019 campaign.
“We’re kind of force-feeding him a lot of things,” Spagnuolo said. “You’ve probably noticed he’s in a lot of spots there, he’s kind of earned it and deserved it the way he’s played in training camp. I think the veterans have some confidence in him.”
Bush could be a surprise cut but his value on special teams should secure him a roster spot.
Specialists (3)
Starters: K Harrison Butker, P Tommy Townsend and LS James Winchester
No competition, no drama. Justin Reid and the backup specialist didn’t even get work in camp this year, so we don’t know who the emergency long snapper and kick holders are.
