Who’s in, who’s out: Our prediction for the Kansas City Chiefs’ initial 53-man roster
With Labor Day weekend officially here, the Chiefs go about the business side of football before locking down preparations for the season opener against the Houston Texans on Sept. 10.
The Chiefs have until 3 p.m. Central time Saturday to make personnel moves from 80 players to establish the initial 53-player roster for the regular season.
For Chiefs coach Andy Reid, the decisions at this time of the year aren’t always easy but he always has a message for players leading to roster trimmings.
“We tell them at the beginning not everybody is going to make our football team, but make it as hard as you possibly can on us to make that decision and don’t count the numbers in the line, just go play,” Reid said Friday. “Whether it’s special teams or offense or defense, do your best and you don’t have to look back on that.”
Reid then said it’s important for players to understand their strengths and weaknesses, and to work on the latter area in the event of a release with a view to another chance in the league.
“I also normally tell them that everybody is going to have the opportunity to play in the game,” Reid said. “Well, they haven’t had that. So, one of the reasons coaches like having the preseason games is so the young guys can show and potentially if you can’t keep them on your team, at least they have a chance to go make a living doing the same with another team and keep their dream alive.”
Meanwhile, keep in mind what is set on Saturday remains a fluid situation.
The Chiefs will look over the waiver wire to identify players from around the league to either add to the active roster or practice squad, which can be established Sunday.
In the meantime, here’s a stab at what the Chiefs’ initial 53-player roster could look like with 25 players on offense, 25 on defense and three specialists:
QUATERBACKS (3): Patrick Mahomes, Chad Henne, Matt Moore
The Chiefs played Super Bowl LIV with this trio and are likely to stick with the group of signal-callers. Having three on the roster also provides a good fallback plan in the current COVID-19 environment. Jordan Ta’amu is a good practice squad candidate.
RUNNING BACKS (3): Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Darrel Williams, Darwin Thompson
Edward-Helaire and Williams are the clear top options at the position. Thompson looked good during training camp and likely did enough to secure the third spot over DeAndre Washington and Elijah McGuire, both of whom are candidates for the practice squad.
FULLBACK (1): Anthony Sherman
This is a cut-and-dry position, especially when considering the Chiefs only had Sherman on the roster throughout training camp.
WIDE RECEIVERS (6): Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Demarcus Robinson, Mecole Hardman, Byron Pringle, Marcus Kemp
Here’s where it gets intriguing outside of the top four wideouts. Traditionally, a team’s fifth or sixth wide receiver is expected to contribute on special teams.
When asked during training camp what he looks for, special teams coordinator Dave Toub specifically mentioned Pringle’s ability to play gunner while complimenting Kemp, whom the team signed during camp, and Gehrig Dieter. Toub mentioned Kemp was on his way to making the roster in 2019 before suffering a knee injury. Kemp’s return signals bad news for Dieter and camp standout Jody Fortson, who could attract attention from other teams if the Chiefs waive him.
TIGHT ENDS (3): Travis Kelce, Nick Keizer, Ricky Seals-Jones
Keizer appeared to put a hammer lock on the No. 2 spot and consistently worked alongside Kelce in the Chiefs’ 12-personnel package throughout training camp. Seal-Jones missed a few practices with a leg injury, but returned in time to make his case for a roster spot. Deon Yelder likely hurt his chances to make the initial 53-player roster by missing all of training camp with a groin injury, while Daniel Helm joined the team late in August. At one point last season, the Chiefs had two tight ends on the practice squad, a good scenario for Yelder and Helm if the team goes that route again.
OFFENSIVE LINE (9): Eric Fisher, Mitchell Schwartz, Austin Reiter, Kelechi Osemele, Andrew Wylie, Mike Remmers, Nick Allegretti, Jackson Barton, Daniel Kilgore
Fisher, Schwartz and Reiter are clear starters. Don’t be surprised if Osemele opens the season at left guard and Wylie mans the right spot, which was left vacant when Laurent Duvernay-Tardif opted out of the 2020 season.
The Chiefs covet versatility in their linemen, and they’ll have it with swing backups Remmers and Allegretti, both of whom can play various positions along the front five. Barton can also play both tackle spots, while Kilgore, whom the Chiefs signed in late August, provides a veteran presence as a backup center. Undrafted rookie free agents Darryl Williams and Yasir Durant are good candidates for the practice squad.
NOTE: Offensive lineman Martinas Rankin opened training camp on the physically unable to perform list (PUP) and is a candidate to start the season there. In that scenario, Rankin will not count against the active 53-player roster and won’t practice for the first six weeks of the season. Once he returns to practice, a 21-day window opens for the Chiefs to decide whether to activate him to the active roster or shut him down for the rest of the season.
DEFENSIVE ENDS (6): Frank Clark, Alex Okafor, Tanoh Kpassagnon, Taco Charlton, Mike Danna, Demone Harris
Clark leads the charge off the edge for a deep and versatile group of pass rushers with Okafor manning the opposite side of Clark. Kpassagnon, who enters a contract season, can play all positions along the defensive front line. Danna, the Chiefs’ fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, proved a pleasant surprise during training camp while working in a rotational role with the starting unit and backups. With Charlton, the Chiefs have a former first-round pick who appears to be enjoying the change of scenery. The Chiefs’ defensive coaching staff consistently complimented Charlton during training camp, even pointing out how Clark has taken his former college teammate under his wing.
As for the final spot, it becomes a pickle. Breeland Speaks missed last season with a knee injury and it might make sense to go with a player who previously played in the scheme. Don’t forget that Harris, who can play inside and outside, contributed in a rotational role during the Chiefs’ run at a championship last year. Undrafted rookie free agent Tershawn Wharton, who can play inside and outside, is a prime candidate for the practice squad unless he cracks the 53-player roster.
DEFENSIVE TACKLES (4): Chris Jones, Derrick Nnadi, Khalen Saunders, Devaroe Lawrence
While four defensive tackles might initially seem low, the Chiefs have edge linemen who can also kick inside as needed with Kpassagnon and Harris. Jones, fresh off a new contract, Nnadi and Saunders project as the clear top trio, while Lawrence, who spent time on the Chiefs practice squad last year, bring experience from previous stints with the New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Browns.
NOTE: Lawrence projects as a placeholder for Mike Pennel, who will serve a two-game suspension to start the season. Once the team activates Pennel after the suspension, the team will need to make a corresponding roster move.
LINEBACKERS (5): Anthony Hitchens, Damien Wilson, Ben Niemann, Willie Gay Jr., Dorian O’Daniel
Hitchens and Wilson return as starters and it wouldn’t surprise if Niemann opens the season with the first-team unit. Niemann worked mostly with the starters throughout training camp and his presence allows the Chiefs to slowly bring in Gay, the team’s second-round pick of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Keep in mind the Chiefs didn’t have the benefit of an offseason on-field workout program before training camp, so easing in Gay to defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme makes sense. The final linebacker spot likely goes to O’Daniel, who is a core special teams contributor.
CORNERBACKS (5): Charvarius Ward, Rashad Fenton, L’Jarius Sneed, Antonio Hamilton, BoPete Keyes
The Chiefs played the Super Bowl with five cornerbacks and likely stick with that number. Ward, who enjoyed a Pro Bowl-caliber season in 2019, is the clear No. 1, while the team experiences transition at the nickel cornerback and right cornerback spots to open the season given Bashaud Breeland’s four-game suspension. Fenton has the versatility to play inside and outside and Sneed, the Chiefs’ speedy fourth-round pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, can play outside.
It wouldn’t surprise if the Chiefs utilize Ward and Fenton in the 4-3 base scheme. Moreover, it also makes sense if Fenton moves inside and Sneed mans the outside when the Chiefs go to a nickel defense. Hamilton provides flexibility to play all cornerback positions, much like Kendal Kuller did last season. Keyes, the team’s seventh-round pick, provides depth and the ability to play special teams, a role previously filled by Alex Brown before suffering an ACL team during training camp.
NOTE: Breeland won’t be eligible to return to the roster until after Week 4 and the Chiefs will be without him for games against the Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers, Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots. The Chiefs will need to make a corresponding roster move once Breeland returns to the active roster after serving the suspension.
SAFETIES (5): Tyrann Mathieu, Juan Thornhill, Daniel Sorensen, Tedric Thompson, Armani Watts
The Chiefs played the Super Bowl with four safeties: Mathieu, Sorensen, Watts and Jordan Lucas, who signed with the Chicago Bears during free agency. Five provides depth if Thornhill isn’t 100 percent healthy for the start of the season or if he suffers a setback from last season’s ACL tear. The Chiefs signed Thompson in late July and he provides starting experience from his time with the Seattle Seahawks.
SPECIALISTS (3): Harrison Butker, Tommy Townsend, James Winchester
With no competition during training camp, this trio is pretty easy to project.
