KANSAS CITY, Mo. — More roster moves are coming, but the Kansas City Chiefs unveiled the initial 53-man roster for the 2022 season shortly after the NFL-mandated 3 p.m. deadline on Tuesday.
There was perhaps no bigger surprise cut than linebacker Elijah Lee, a Blue Springs graduate and the projected starter at strong-side linebacker.
As a vested veteran, Lee hinted on Twitter that the move was procedural. He’s not subject to the waiver wire, so cutting Lee allows the Chiefs to keep an injured player — someone like tight end Blake Bell — who the team may want to be available at some point during the season.
"No panics keep your 44 jerseys!!" Lee told his followers as news broke that the Chiefs planned to cut him.
No panics keep your 44 jerseys!!
— Elijah Lee (@elee_doubleace) August 30, 2022
If Kansas City had moved Bell to injured reserve before the 3 p.m. roster cut-down deadline, he would not have been eligible to return this season.
Now that Bell has made the initial 53-man roster, the Chiefs can move him to injured reserve and designate him to return after he recovers from recent hip surgery. With a free roster spot, Lee will re-sign and assume a role as a key contributor on defense and special teams.
Kansas City used a similar trick with Marcus Kemp at the roster deadline last season.
Several other veterans — defensive tackle Danny Shelton, wide receiver Daurice Fountain and center Austin Reiter — were surprise cuts and potentially could be less-surprising additions, if more procedural moves are ahead for the Chiefs.
Of course, there were a handful of surprise inclusions — notably quarterback Shane Buechele, running back Ronald Jones and a pair of unproven defensive ends in Malik Herring and Joshua Kaindoh — on the Chiefs’ roster, including nine of the 10 draft picks from last spring.
Kansas City kept three quarterbacks, an unusual move under Reid except in the case of an injury similar to the situation with Bell.
Shane Buechele made the initial roster. He was on the practice squad to start last season before Arizona put in a claim, forcing Buechele onto the active roster.
The Chiefs also kept running back Ronald Jones, who found his stride in the third preseason game with 43 yards on nine carries.
The inclusion of Jones, a prototypical power back paired with rookie Isiah Pacheco, could hint at changes ahead for Kansas City’s run game, which may lean on a more punishing style in 2022 than previous seasons.
The Chiefs’ roster also includes Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon along with fullback Michael Burton, but Reid and his staff only kept five wide receivers (for now) — veteran holdover Mecole Hardman Jr.; free-agent additions JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Justin Watson; and rookie Skyy Moore.
Bell’s injury ensured that Kansas City would break camp with four tight ends — including All-Pro Travis Kelce, Noah Gray and Jody Fortson — for the second straight season.
Waiving Reiter was somewhat surprising, but guard Nick Allegretti has worked at center before and serves as the main backup on the interior.
Rookie Darian Kinnard, who spent most of training camp at tackle, also made the roster, but he could wind up working more at guard as a developmental prospect.
The Chiefs kept two backup tackles, veterans Geron Christian and Prince Tega Wanogho.
On defense, most roster projections had Kansas City cutting either Herring, Kaindoh or perhaps even both players.
Instead, they are among six defensive ends the Chiefs kept along with veterans Frank Clark and Mike Danna, rookie George Karlaftis and veteran training-camp addition Carlos Dunlap.
Kansas City kept only four defensive tackles, including Khalen Saunders, though Danna has reduced inside at times and that may be the plan moving forward into the season — or perhaps another move is coming.
Darius Harris made the roster again as a backup to starting linebackers Nick Bolton and Willie Gay Jr. with rookie Leo Chenal hoping to carve out a role as a pass-rush specialist and downhill thumper.
The Chiefs kept 10 defensive backs as expected.
Nazeeh Johnson, a safety at Marshall who Kansas City picked in the seventh round and worked out at cornerback during camp, was the lone 2022 draft pick who didn’t make the initial 53-man roster.
The Chiefs also may try to be active on the waiver wire, but after reaching the AFC Championship Game again last season won’t have a high priority in adding players released by other teams.
Initial Chiefs 53-man roster
Quarterbacks (3): Shane Buechele, Chad Henne, Patrick Mahomes
Running backs/fullback (5): Michael Burton, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Ronald Jones, Jerick McKinnon, Isiah Pacheco
Wide receivers (5): Mecole Hardman Jr., Skyy Moore, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Justin Watson
Tight ends (4): Blake Bell, Jody Fortson, Noah Gray, Travis Kelce
Offensive line (9): Nick Allegretti, Orlando Brown Jr., Geron Christian, Creed Humphrey, Darian Kinnard, Trey Smith, Joe Thuney, Prince Tega Wanogho, Andrew Wylie
Defensive tackles (4): Chris Jones, Derrick Nnadi, Khalen Saunders, Tershawn Wharton
Defensive ends (6): Frank Clark, Mike Danna, Carlos Dunlap, Malik Herring, Joshua Kaindoh, George Karlaftis
Linebackers (4): Nick Bolton, Leo Chenal, Willie Gay Jr., Darius Harris
Cornerbacks (6): Rashad Fenton, Chris Lammons, Trent McDuffie, L’Jarius Sneed, Jaylen Watson, Joshua Williams
Safeties (4): Deon Bush, Bryan Cook, Justin Reid, Juan Thornhill
Specialists (3): Harrison Butker, Tommy Townsend, James Winchester
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