Chiefs Roster Deep Dive: Every Position Group Analyzed For Week 1
Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp Breakdown: Every Position Group Explained Simply
Your guide to understanding where the Chiefs stand before the preseason starts, based on 11 practices at St. Joe
Why This Matters
The Backstory: A fan named "saintschiefsfan" asked for a breakdown of every position group after watching the reporter cover 11 straight days of Chiefs training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri. Think of this as your cheat sheet — written by someone who actually stood on the sidelines and watched every rep.
Position Group Breakdowns
1. Quarterbacks — The Strongest Room in Years
| Role | Players |
|---|---|
| Starter (The Guy) | Patrick Mahomes |
| Backup Battle | Justin Fields • Garrett Nussmeier |
| Practice Squad Candidate | Chris Oladokun |
What to Know:
This might be the best QB depth Kansas City has had since Mahomes was a rookie. Fields can make explosive plays with both his arm and legs — perfect for preseason games. Nussmeier, a rookie from LSU, looks like a real NFL prospect already.
Big Question: Will the Chiefs keep three quarterbacks on the final 53-man roster? If they cut Nussmeier, another team will likely snap him up immediately.
2. Running Backs — Pretty Much Settled
| Role | Players |
|---|---|
| Lead Back | Kenneth Walker |
| Backup Competition | Brashard Smith • Emari Demercado • Emmett Johnson |
| Practice Squad Candidates | Jaydn Ott • E.J. Smith |
What to Know:
The top four are basically locked in. The only mystery is game-day order — who gets the ball in which situation.
3. Wide Receivers — High Concern
| Role | Players |
|---|---|
| Projected Starters | Rashee Rice • Xavier Worthy • Tyquan Thornton |
| Backup Battle | Cyrus Allen • Jalen Royals • Nikko Remigio • Andrew Armstrong • Jimmy Holiday |
| Practice Squad Candidates | Jacob De Jesus • Omari Evans • Jeff Weimer • Xavier Loyd • Jason Brownlee • Jeff Caldwell |
HIGH CONCERN ALERT: The starting trio is fragile — injuries or inconsistency could derail the passing game. The good news? With Mahomes likely sitting out preseason, the backups will get tons of reps with Fields and Nussmeier. We’ll find out fast if Allen, Royals, or Armstrong can be reliable role players.
4. Tight Ends — Intriguing Battle for Spot #4
| Role | Players |
|---|---|
| Locks for Roster | Travis Kelce • Noah Gray • Jared Wiley |
| Fighting for 4th Spot | Jake Briningstool • Tre Watson • Mason Pline |
What to Know:
Wiley has been a starter all camp but hurt his hamstring this week. Gray and Wiley need preseason game action to hold off Briningstool, a rookie who catches everything thrown his way.
Concern: After Kelce, this group’s blocking is shaky. If the offense wants to run more heavy sets, that’s a problem.
5. Offensive Line — Depends on One Guy’s Hip
| Unit | Players |
|---|---|
| First Team | LT Josh Simmons • LG Kingsley Suamataia • C Creed Humphrey • RG Kahlil Benson • RT Jaylon Moore |
| Second Team | LT Esa Pole • LG Mike Caliendo • C Hunter Nourzad • RG Pete Nygra • RT Ethan Driskell |
| Practice Squad Types | RT Chu Godrick • G C.J. Hanson • T/G Matt Waletzko • G Josh Thompson |
What to Know:
If starting right guard Trey Smith’s hip injury is short-term (coach Andy Reid says it is), this line is in great shape.
Watch This: Rookie Kahlil Benson. If he plays guard in the preseason, the Chiefs see him as the top backup inside. If he plays tackle, they’re grooming him as a future starter outside.
6. Defensive Ends / Edge Rushers — Very Concerning
| Role | Players |
|---|---|
| Starting Rotation | George Karlaftis • Ashton Gillotte • Felix Anudike-Uzomah • R Mason Thomas |
| Fighting for 5th Spot | Emmanuel Ogbah • Tyreke Smith • Ethan Hurkett |
| Practice Squad Types | V.J. Anthony • Anthony Dunn |
VERY CONCERNING: The #2 edge spot opposite Karlaftis is a massive question mark.
The Players to Watch:
- R Mason Thomas (No. 51): Does his explosive first step translate to games?
- Felix Anudike-Uzomah: 4th-year player who could break out — but has spent lots of camp rushing from inside, not the edge.
- Ashton Gillotte: Rookie who hurt his hamstring Week 1 and hasn’t practiced since.
- Emmanuel Ogbah: Signed for a reason — veteran insurance.
7. Interior Defensive Line — Waiting on a Rookie
| Role | Players |
|---|---|
| Starting Rotation | Chris Jones • Khyiris Tonga • Peter Woods • Omarr Norman-Lott* (PUP = Physically Unable to Perform) |
| Placeholder if Norman-Lott Isn’t Ready | Marcus Harris • Cole Brevard |
| Practice Squad Types | Damon Payne • Amari McNeill |
What to Know:
Marcus Harris (2nd year, Auburn) is the guy to watch — he penetrates gaps fast and could start Week 1 if Norman-Lott isn’t healthy. Cole Brevard is massive; if he can clog running lanes, he earns a roster spot.
8. Linebackers — All About One Guy’s Versatility
| Role | Players |
|---|---|
| Starters (Base Defense) | MIKE: Nick Bolton • WILL: Drue Tranquill • SAM: Cooper McDonald |
| Backup Battle | Jack Cochrane (backup MIKE) • Jeffrey Bassa (WILL/SAM flex) • Cole Christiansen (emergency everything) |
| Practice Squad Types | Kam Arnold • Wesley Bissainthe |
What to Know:
Jeffrey Bassa (No. 31) is the X-factor. Can he be a "jack-of-all-trades" weapon — blitzing, covering, tackling in space? If yes, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will use him situationally all year.
9. Cornerbacks (Outside) — Injury Mess + Trade Bait?
| Role | Players |
|---|---|
| Starting Rotation | Mansoor Delane • Nohl Williams • L’Jarius Sneed |
| Backup Competition | Kristian Fulton • Melvin Smith • Kaiir Elam |
| Practice Squad Types | D’Arco Perkins-McAllister • Zelmar Vedder |
What to Know:
The top guys have been banged up, so Melvin Smith has gotten tons of starter reps. Kristian Fulton barely plays with the 1s — if he flashes in preseason, the Chiefs might trade him for a pick.
BIGGEST PRESEASON CONCERN: This group has barely practiced at full speed with contact. We won’t learn much about their real-game readiness this weekend.
Sleeper: D’Arco Perkins-McAllister (No. 19) — long arms, physical, could surprise.
10. Nickel Cornerback (Slot) — Three-Way Fight
| Role | Players |
|---|---|
| Starter | Christian Roland-Wallace |
| Backup Battle | Kader Kohou • Jadon Canady • Kevin Knowles |
What to Know:
Kevin Knowles (reporter’s favorite) vs. Kader Kohou (new signing) = likely one roster spot. Rookie Jadon Canady (4th round) is the future — if he can handle run support and tight coverage, he could steal the starting job sooner than expected.
11. Safeties — The Rookie Who Needs to Pop
| Role | Players |
|---|---|
| Starting Duo | Alohi Gilman • Chamarri Conner |
| Backup Battle | Jaden Hicks • Xavier Nwankpa • DeShon Singleton |
| Practice Squad Type | Tanner McAlister |
What to Know:
Jaden Hicks (rookie) has been stuck on the 2nd team all camp. He must make plays in preseason to earn Spagnuolo’s trust before Week 1.
Nwankpa vs. Singleton = likely one spot. Nwankpa has the edge, but a huge preseason from Singleton flips it.
Summary: The 3 Biggest Things to Watch This Preseason
- Can the backup WRs catch passes and stay healthy? (High concern)
- Who emerges as the #2 edge rusher? (Very concerning)
- Has the secondary ever practiced together at full speed? (Biggest unknown)
The Good News: QB play should be electric. The offensive line is solid if Trey Smith returns soon. And several rookies (Benson, Canady, Hicks, Thomas) have clear paths to playing time if they seize the moment.
FAQ: Your Burning Questions Answered
Q: Why does the reporter keep mentioning "St. Joe"?
A: That’s St. Joseph, Missouri — where the Chiefs hold training camp at Missouri Western State University. It’s about 45 minutes north of Kansas City. The reporter drove up I-29 eleven times to watch practice.
Q: What’s the difference between "PUP" and regular injured?
A: PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) is a special list. If a player starts the season on PUP, they must miss at least the first 4 games. Omarr Norman-Lott is on it — so he won’t play until October at earliest.
Q: What does "waiver wire" mean for Nussmeier?
A: If the Chiefs cut him, every other NFL team gets a chance to claim his contract (in order of worst record to best). A talented rookie QB like him would almost certainly be claimed — so the Chiefs lose him for nothing.
Q: Why is the nickel cornerback so important?
A: Modern offenses use 3+ receivers over 60% of the time. The "nickel" defender covers the slot receiver (inside). It’s basically a starting position now — not a backup role.
Q: What’s "base defense" vs. what they usually run?
A: Base defense = 4 linemen, 3 linebackers, 4 defensive backs. But the Chiefs (like most teams) play "nickel" (5 DBs) or "dime" (6 DBs) 70%+ of snaps. So the 3rd safety and nickel corner often play more than the base SAM linebacker.
Enjoy the preseason — and keep an eye on those rookies!