Chiefs vs. Bears Preseason Snap Counts: Featured in the Finale

There's plenty to take away from how Kansas City divvied up its snaps in their final preseason game of 2024.

Jul 26, 2024; Kansas City, MO, USA;Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah (97) speaks to the media after training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The next time the Kansas City Chiefs take the field, it'll be for a regular-season game. With a three-week preseason slate in the books, the real work now begins for general manager Brett Veach and company.

Over the next handful of days, Kansas City will pare down its roster by nearly 40 spots. Several talented players will be cut in advance of the 4:00 p.m. ET deadline on August 27, making the next week an interesting but also trying time for those in the league.

Thursday night's preseason finale against the Chicago Bears saw tons of players – rookies and veterans alike – get some valuable reps. While the outing didn't go the home team's way, there's still plenty to draw from in its aftermath.

Now that snap counts have been released, what jumped off the page? Let's take a look at three notable takeaways from another week of Chiefs football.

Good morning #ChiefsKingdom

Snap counts from the preseason finale against Chicago: pic.twitter.com/1sVKC7SAIT

— Jordan Foote (@footenoted) August 23, 2024

One last look at Louis Rees-Zammit for the time being?

When the Chiefs originally signed Louis Rees-Zammit, no one was quite sure what the former rugby star would do in 2024. Some thought he'd be a wide receiver, others believed he'd factor into the running game and a special teams role was even floated. His progression throughout training camp was well-documented by the coaching staff, although not a ton was shown in three preseason games. Thursday was a mixed bag.

Against the Bears, Rees-Zammit got nine snaps on offense and toted the ball four times for 21 yards. He did break off a 10-yard scamper in the fourth quarter, his longest of the preseason. He had eight special teams snaps, too, including a 36-yard kickoff return in quarter No. 3. Finishing his month with six carries for 22 yards and one reception for three yards in total, the Wales product did a little bit of everything. That's exactly what it was, however: a little bit. Based on his workload and production over the past few weeks, Rees-Zammit seems destined for the practice squad as a rookie.

Jaylen Watson and Derrick Nnadi get back in the swing of things

The Chiefs dealt with numerous players nursing injuries during training camp, some of which were preexisting and others suffered at practice. Cornerback Jaylen Watson and defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi fit into the former category. With Watson recovering from labrum surgery and Nnadi working his way back from a triceps ailment, neither player had been active in preseason games one or two. Not only did Kansas City allow them to get their feet wet on Thursday, but they practically tossed them into the middle of the ocean.

Watson led the entire defense in snaps, finishing with 53 (and another 12 on special teams). It was glaringly obvious how rusty he was, as he missed a tackle and struggled in coverage down the field. Nnadi logged 25 snaps on defense, good for 37% of those available, and had a pair of tackles (one solo effort against Velus Jones). The veteran nose tackle looked more comfortable and productive than the third-year corner in their first games back.

Felix Anudike-Uzomah receives a heavy workload again

Entering camp, the Chiefs had high expectations for year two of defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah. The former first-round pick and Kansas State standout had an underwhelming rookie campaign but with another offseason and better health luck at his disposal, many thought he'd make a leap during the summer. Reports from the Missouri Western State University practice field weren't great, nor was his output in three preseason games despite plenty of opportunities.

In games against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions and the Bears, Anudike-Uzomah logged 119 total snaps on defense. In that span, he amassed nine tackles (zero for loss) and one pass broken up that came on a play that he wasn't accounted for. With the rest of Kansas City's organizational depth pieces on the field, he received 33 reps (roughly half of the max amount). There's a spin zone where getting this many in-game reps is important, but context quickly dispels that. Without much tangible growth present, it wasn't a successful preseason for Anudike-Uzomah.

Read More: Chiefs vs. Bears Winners and Losers