KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The stars and superstars will take the field for the first quarter, but the Chiefs' preseason opener Saturday night against Cincinnati will soon become an audition for the remaining members of the 90-man roster vying for jobs in the regular season.
Here are six players who won't likely see time with the starters but could play themselves into position battles over the next few weeks.
Davis isn't completely under the radar – he earned a Super Bowl ring as an undrafted rookie from James Madison with the Eagles in 2017. But Davis attended rookie minicamp with Chiefs in May on a tryout basis and has never looked back. The 5-9, 175-pound receiver plays with no fear and his elusiveness adds to his 4.47 speed. As one Chiefs official said, all he's done is make plays ever day at training camp.
Another James Madison Duke – he and Davis were never teammates, however – has made an impression during training camp with his hard work and hard running. Marshall faces an uphill climb through a crowded running back room, but he could surprise if injuries open the door.
The second-year Keizer from Grand Valley State spent time with Baltimore last season, and in Kansas City he has a chance to secure a job in a wide-open competition. While Blake Bell and Deon Yelder appear the top candidates, the Chiefs want a tight end who can serve as an inline blocker, and that's where Keizer excels. If he block well and performer on special teams, Keizer could quickly rise up the depth charts.
The addition of Morris Claiborne doesn't solve the Chiefs cornerback riddle, which creates an opportunity for this pair of undrafted rookies. Miller is a hard hitter who can do a little bit of everything – the Chiefs lined him up at linebacker during the rookie portion of camp due to a lack of numbers there. Field offers tremendous upside, but had trouble staying on the field at Clemson. Miller is the overlooked member of the second-team defense in training camp, running alongside D'montre Wade and slot corner Rashad Fenton.
P Jack Fox
The Chiefs don't look ready to say goodbye to Dustin Colquitt quite yet, but they know they must start preparing for life without their 37-year-old punter. Fox has an NFL league, but it's consistency that he lacks. The club is pouring a lot of resources into turning Fox into a legitimate punter and kicker with an eye toward the future. If he develops quickly, it might be worth stashing him on the practice squad as a relief kicker and apprentice.
