Chiefs roster hopeful gets locker-room praise from GM: ‘My mindset is to make that 53’
Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach took two steps toward the locker-room exit, then turned back around when he saw receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette in his peripheral vision.
About a half-hour after the Chiefs’ 38-10 preseason victory over Arizona on Saturday, Veach extended his arm to shake Smith-Marsette’s hand.
“Nice game,” Veach said. “Great job.”
The moment wasn’t lost on Smith-Marsette a few minutes later following his four-catch, 92-yard performance.
“Basically, he just let me know that he’s watching,” Smith-Marsette said in front of his locker. “All I can do is just go out there and continue to do what I do. I appreciate that. I look forward to doing more.”
Smith-Marsette, a 6-foot-1 third-year pro out of Iowa, certainly gave the Chiefs something more to consider with his effort against Arizona.
After splitting time between the practice squad and active roster for KC last year — Smith-Marsette was active for two games in 2022 — the former Vikings fifth-round pick was one of the standouts Saturday. That development puts the Chiefs in an awkward but enviable spot, as with their wideout depth, they already appear to be in a pinch while trying to limit their roster to 6-7 receivers.
For his part, Smith-Marsette wasn’t hesitant about sharing his aim for this preseason.
“Every time I step on the field, I’m playing for one of those 53 spots,” Smith-Marsette said of the Chiefs’ 53-man active roster. “That’s my mindset, just going out there and attacking and whenever my opportunity presents itself, take advantage of it.”
He made the most of his time against the Cardinals, with his biggest plays coming in the third quarter.
Smith-Marsette had the Chiefs’ longest play then, catching a 44-yard pass on a deep throw from Blaine Gabbert.
When asked about the route, Smith-Marsette said he immediately noticed the corner was playing him to the outside.
“Used one of my little tricks that I work on when I’m running that route. It worked,” Smith-Marsette said. “The deep safety was just too far inside, and there was no way he was going to get to it. Blaine put a great ball in the air, and all I had to do was just finish it and make the catch.”
Smith-Marsette later capped that same drive with a 15-yard touchdown catch, bouncing off a defender before front-flipping into the end zone. Right after, he went into an array of moves while celebrating his score with teammates.
“Just having fun. Coach (Andy) Reid always ends our meetings with, ‘Let your personality show.’ And I’m somebody that, I feel like I’ve got a big personality, and I just want to show it,” Smith-Marsette said. “We play a kids’ game. I just want to go out there and just have fun, and when I get rolling, just let my personality show.”
Teammates took note of Smith-Marsette’s contributions. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes spoke afterward about the Chiefs continuing to show they have depth from players 1-10 in the receivers room.
Also, while Smith-Marsette was talking to reporters, defensive end Charles Omenihu briefly interrupted while walking by: “That boy crazy,” he said of Smith-Marsette.
The Chiefs’ current math at wideout remains complicated. Reid has never kept more than six receivers on his initial 53-man roster during his previous 10 seasons with KC, yet even if the Chiefs extend that to seven this season, they appear to have those spots already filled.
That, of course, is if they elect to keep expected safe players like Justin Watson, Richie James and Justyn Ross.
Smith-Marsette — however it all shakes out — hopes to make the Chiefs’ final decision difficult.
“The goal for me is to make the 53 and contribute big time,” Smith-Marsette said. “If you’re not thinking like that — in the position that I’m in — then you’re already losing. So push for that 53 and help as much as I can.”
