KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Injuries will shape how the Kansas City Chiefs’ final 53-man roster shapes up as training camp progresses.
But this is a deep roster position by position.
Granted, some spots aren’t loaded with big-name guys, but the only concerns for the coaching staff as the 2023 season rapidly approaches are on the margins.
That’s a great place to be in as Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and company aim to become the NFL’s first repeat Super Bowl champions in nearly two decades.
General Manager Brett Veach always seems to have some surprises and tricks up his sleeve when constructing the final roster ahead of the regular season.
The next month will set the course for another Super Bowl pursuit. Here’s a position-by-position roster breakdown as the Chiefs prep for the first full-squad practice of camp Sunday now that veterans are trickling onto Missouri Western’s campus in St. Joseph:
OFFENSE
Quarterbacks (4): Shane Buechele, Blaine Gabbert, Patrick Mahomes, Chris Oladokun
Analysis: Mahomes and Gabbert, who was brought in to provide a veteran presence at backup after Chad Henne retired, are locks to make the roster.
The Chiefs like Buechele a lot and the new NFL roster rule related to a third quarterback means he — or Oladokun, in the event of injury or a surprise camp performance — may even suit up for more games.
But it also may reduce roster flexibility if the Chiefs elect to keep three QBs on the 53-man roster. Practice-squad elevations would remain an option, too.
Running backs (5): Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Jerick McKinnon, Isiah Pacheco, La’Mical Perine, Deneric Prince
Analysis: Without a fullback on the roster, there’s a possible position battle brewing for the fourth running back spot.
Pacheco, McKinnon and Edwards-Helaire seem like locks to make the roster.
The Chiefs also have been impressed with Prince, a speedy undrafted rookie from Tulsa, in early offseason returns, but Perine should get his share of reps to try to earn his way into the competition.
Wide receivers (14): Kekoa Crawford, Ty Fryfogle, Richie James Jr., Skyy Moore, Cornell Powell, Nikko Remigio, Rashee Rice, John Ross, Justyn Ross, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Kadarius Toney, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Justin Watson, Jerrion Ealy
Analysis: Six seems to be the magic number for wide receivers, so it’ll be a tough group to crack.
Toney is expected to emerge as Mahomes’ top option in 2023, while it’s essentially a lock that Valdes-Scantling, ascending second-year pro Moore and second-round pick Rice make the roster.
James also brings immense special teams value, so he’s probably safe as well, and it seems unlikely that the team would have re-signed Watson with no expectation that he’d remain a valuable special teams contributor as well.
The question will be whether one of the Rosses — veteran John or rookie Justyn, who spent last season on injured reserve after dealing with a neck injury during a standout career at Clemson — can force their way onto the roster.
Smith-Marsette had some impressive tape at Iowa and I liked him in the 2021 draft, but he probably faces an uphill battle to make the roster.
Tight ends (6): Blake Bell, Kendall Blanton, Matt Bushman, Jody Fortson, Noah Gray, Travis Kelce
Analysis: Kelce, Fortson and Gray seem like locks for the roster and Bell, a veteran and possibly the best blocker of the bunch, enters camp as the front-runner for the fourth spot despite missing most of last season with a hip injury.
Blanton may be the wild card. Kansas City plans to use tight ends in lieu of a true fullback and he had experience lining up in the backfield in a lead blocker role in college at Missouri.
He and Bushman are fringe NFL guys and quality depth to have around in the event of injury.
Centers (3): Anderson Hardy, Creed Humphrey, Austin Reiter
Analysis: Humphrey is one of the best centers in the NFL and Reiter seems to have settled into a backup role with the Chiefs.
That doesn’t seem likely to change, though Reiter may wind up on the practice squad rather than the active roster as part of the roster-management numbers game.
Guards (6): Nick Allegretti, Mike Caliendo, Jerome Carvin, Darian Kinnard, Trey Smith, Joe Thuney
Analysis: Flanking Humphrey on the interior offensive line, Thuney and Smith help form arguably the NFL’s best middle three up front.
Chiefs fans should be grateful every day for the wall they form in front of Mahomes.
Allegretti provides quality interior depth across the board and the Chiefs invested a draft pick in Kinnard, but he needs to show more than he did last summer to stave off Carvin for a spot on the 53-man roster when camp breaks.
Offensive tackles (7): Chukwuebuka Jason Godrick, Sebastian Gutierrez, Wayna Morris, Lucas Niang, Donovan Smith, Jawaan Taylor, Prince Tega Wanogho
Analysis: Smith appears destined to replace the departed Orlando Brown Jr., who signed as a free agent with budding rival Cincinnati, and Jawaan Taylor was GM Brett Veach’s biggest free-agent swing.
The two are above-average, serviceable players. Taylor may even be more than that, while Smith’s in something of a prove-it year.
The Chiefs haven’t had elite tackles the last few years and may not in 2023 either, but Mahomes seems to be able to make it work and both guys have a track record of NFL success.
Niang, Morris and Tega Wanogho provide some (mostly) young, hungry depth, though I’m not sure fans will be eager to see that depth tested during the season.
Niang and Morris enter camp as the likely backups on the 53-man roster.
DEFENSE
Defensive tackles (9): Keondre Coburn, Matt Dickerson, Phil Hoskins, Chris Jones, Derrick Nnadi, Danny Shelton, Tershawn Wharton, Chris Williams, Daniel Wise
Analysis: Wharton is still recovering from an ACL tear and started training camp on the PUP list, which presents an opportunity for someone.
The roster spots for Jones, Coburn and Nnadi seem secure. The same probably could be said for a healthy Wharton, but his continued recovery means Shelton and Dickerson and the other interior defensive linemen get a chance to impress.
Edge rushers (8): Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Mike Danna, Malik Herring, Truman Jones, Joshua Kaindoh, George Karlaftis, Charles Omenihu, BJ Thompson
Analysis: Once again, it’s hard to see where the position battle shapes up.
Go ahead and put Omenihu, Karlaftis, Anudike-Uzomah, Danna and probably Thompson on the roster if they all make it through camp healthy.
Does Herring show enough to merit using another spot at edge? Does Kaindoh get desperate and put it all together finally? That’s the only intrigue — if you can even call it that.
Linebackers (8): Nick Bolton, Leo Chenal, Cole Christiansen, Jack Cochrane, Willie Gay Jr., Cam Jones, Isaiah Moore, Drue Tranquil
Analysis: Bolton, Gay and Tranquil form a really nice linebacking corps. It’s athletic, it’s instinctive, it’s proven and it’s versatile.
Chenal carved out a spot on special teams and as the NFL equivalent of an enforcer coming downhill at the line.
Christiansen and Cochrane will need to become best buddies with special teams coordinator Dave Toub.
Cornerbacks (11): DiCaprio Bootle, Ekow Boye-Doe, Kahlef Hailassie, Lamar Jackson, Nic Jones, Trent McDuffie, Isaiah Norman, L’Jarius Sneed, Reese Taylor, Jaylen Watson, Joshua Williams
Analysis: Sneed, McDuffie, Watson and Williams seem like locks and Jones has an inside track after the Chiefs spent a draft pick on him.
Bootle remains part of the roster for a reason and Boye-Doe may prove to be a better pro than he was in college, but they’ll need to impress in limited reps and show special teams value to have a chance at making the roster.
Safeties (7): Deon Bush, Chamarri Conner, Anthony Cook, Bryan Cook, Mike Edwards, Nazeeh Johnson, Justin Reid
Analysis: Reid, Edwards and Cook are locks. Conner is lock-ish, but Bush was a core special teamer last season and won’t give up his roster spot without a fight.
Still, Conner’s versatility is what the Chiefs’ defensive staff covets, so it’s hard to see him not making the 53-man roster for the season opener Sept. 7 against Detroit.
But what does that mean for Bush and Johnson, who can also play cornerback (but remains listed as a safety on the official roster)?
Johnson also has value on special teams and a head start in defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s system.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Specialists (3): Harrison Butker, Tommy Townsend, James Winchester
Analysis: What’s to analyze? The Chiefs love their group of specialists — and for good reason, as all three are excellent at their position.
Butker will try to bounce back from an injury-riddled 2022 season, which ended with the game-winning field goal in Super Bowl LVII.
Townsend hopes to continue his ascendance as one of the NFL’s top punters.
Winchester remains steady as a rock.
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