KC Chiefs Roster Prediction: Pre-Training Camp Edition
Rookies and quarterbacks have reported to Kansas City Chiefs training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri. The full squad takes the field (and fan attendance opens) on Sunday, July 23. NFL teams must cut their roster down from 90 to 53 every year before Week 1, so the Chiefs have to decide which guys will suit up when they raise the banner on the opening night of the 2023 NFL season. There are a lot of new faces in Kansas City battling for a roster spot, leaving tough decisions to be made for Brett Veach, Andy Reid and the rest of the Chiefs' front office as they push for another Super Bowl.
So, who will fill the Chiefs' roster as they look to repeat?
KC Chiefs initial 53-man roster prediction
Offense (25)
Quarterbacks (2)
1. Patrick Mahomes
2. Blaine Gabbert
With Chad Henne retiring after last season, the Chiefs quickly added Blaine Gabbert to provide a veteran presence in the quarterback room. The real question comes down to if Kansas City chooses to keep a third quarterback with the new rule being put in place. Due to the tough roster decisions they'll have to make at other positions, they will only keep two quarterbacks when it's all said and done.
Feb 12, 2023; Glendale, AZ, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) waves to the crowd after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Breen/The Republic via USA TODAY Sports
Running backs (3)
3. Isiah Pacheco
4. Jerick McKinnon
5. Deneric Prince
Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon carried the Chiefs' backfield for the back half of the season. They are assuredly on the roster when Week 1 rolls around. The question begins at the third running back spot. Former first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire is on the bubble, with his roster spot in legitimate danger. Undrafted free agent Deneric Prince is the name to watch as he possesses a similar skill set to Pacheco and could make a real impact on special teams.
Wide receivers (7)
6. Kadarius Toney
7. Skyy Moore
8. Marquez Valdes-Scantling
9. Rashee Rice
10. Justin Watson
11. Richie James
12. Justyn Ross
Typically the Chiefs have kept six or fewer wide receivers on the initial roster. However, with the question marks surrounding the room, keeping as much talent as possible makes sense. Justyn Ross is getting immense hype because of the talent he showed in college. Though he didn't play last year, the year in the system should help him better understand the offense and let his talent shine. If Ross's injury concerns are behind him, he could be a valuable rotational piece in Kansas City.
Tight ends (4)
13. Travis Kelce
14. Noah Gray
15. Jody Fortson
16. Blake Bell
The tight end room is pretty straightforward for the Chiefs. They have kept the same group of four for the last two seasons. Noah Gray, Jody Fortson, and Blake Bell have complementary skill sets to back up the greatest tight end of all time. The Chiefs used the most 12 and 13 personnel in the league last year, so that trio allows them to mix and match depending on the situation.
Offensive linemen (9)
17. Donovan Smith
18. Joe Thuney
19. Creed Humphrey
20. Trey Smith
21. Jawaan Taylor
22. Wanya Morris
23. Nick Allegretti
24. Lucas Niang
25. Darian Kinnard
The first seven members of the offensive line are set. Nick Allegretti is the backup interior offensive lineman, while rookie Wanya Morris is the swing tackle. After that, it comes down to how much development the Chiefs have seen in their former draft picks. Lucas Niang saw less than 10 offensive snaps all season, and Darian Kinnard was only active once. Given the recent investment in them, the Chiefs likely lean on keeping them around, but they are in no way safe heading into training camp.
Defense (25)
Defensive linemen (10)
26. Chris Jones
27. Keondre Coburn
28. Derrick Nnadi
29. Tershawn Wharton
30. Charles Omenihu
31. George Karlaftis
32. Mike Danna
33. Felix Anudike-Uzomah
34. BJ Thompson
35. Truman Jones
The defensive line room, for the most part, is set. The initial roster should be pretty chalky unless a veteran like Carlos Dunlap or Shelby Harris is signed during camp. The biggest standout on this list would be Truman Jones. An undrafted rookie out of Harvard, Jones is someone the Chiefs liked throughout the process and paid a good amount to secure after the draft. Even if he's inactive the entire year, Kansas City probably wants him in the building to see what he can grow into.
Linebackers (5)
36. Nick Bolton
37. Drue Tranquill
38. Willie Gay
39. Leo Chenal
40. Isaiah Moore
The fifth linebacker spot is one to watch here. That will be an exciting battle to follow throughout training camp. Three players are likely vying for that spot: Jack Cochrane, Cam Jones, and Isaiah Moore. Cochrane may have the leg up in this competition because of the experience, but the Chiefs didn't pay after the draft to get Jones and Moore for no reason. Moore has the most similar skill set to Nick Bolton, so his making the team would make sense in this roster build.
Cornerbacks (6)
41. Trent McDuffie
42. L'Jarius Sneed
43. Jaylen Watson
44. Joshua Williams
45. Nazeeh Johnson
46. Nic Jones
It'd be interesting to see if a team has ever had all the corners on their active roster on rookie contracts. That's what the Chiefs could have this year in their cornerback room. It'll be interesting to see Nazeeh Johnson's development when it comes to playing cornerback during training camp and preseason. He was already a key contributor on special teams last season, but his development as a corner will be critical long-term.
Safeties (4)
47. Justin Reid
48. Bryan Cook
49. Mike Edwards
50. Chamarri Conner
These four seem pretty safe to make the roster—the question about the safety group ties into the cornerback room. The Chiefs most likely only keep 10 defensive backs, but they currently have 11 deserving candidates. The battle between Nic Jones and Deon Bush on special teams will be a massive factor in who makes the roster and who most likely goes on the practice squad.
Special teams (3)
51. Harrison Butker
52. Tommy Townsend
53. James Winchester
Tommy Townsend is coming off an All-Pro campaign, while Harrison Butker and James Winchester have been some of the best at their position for years. Set it and forget it for the Chiefs regarding their specialists.
