Chiefs Roster Projection: Preseason Can Decide Final Spots on KC's 53

Most of the Chiefs' roster is solidified near the top, but a few key battles will provide intrigue as the preseason begins.

As the Kansas City Chiefs reach the final stretch of their 2023 training camp slate, attention will soon shift to the three-game preseason schedule and next month's regular-season opener.

Over the next few weeks, the Chiefs will present their players with opportunities to showcase their talents for either the current franchise or other NFL teams. This year's roster cuts don't have to occur until Tuesday, Aug. 29, so clubs have plenty of time to decide who will — or will not — be coming into the regular season with them. Some non-roster candidates will end up back with the Chiefs on the practice squad, with others moving on to continue their careers elsewhere.

With preseason game No. 1 on the docket for Kansas City, Arrowhead Report is publishing its second Chiefs roster projection of 2023. Predictions are based on a number of factors including tenure with the team, current contract, training camp performance, injuries elsewhere and more. With the reigning Super Bowl champions boasting one of the better rosters in the league, there's competition at multiple positions for the final handful of spots on the team. 

Quarterback (3)

Patrick Mahomes, Blaine Gabbert, Shane Buechele

The Chiefs' roster is largely set for 2023, starting with the expected trio at quarterback. Shane Buechele has been with the Chiefs since 2021 and is the likely beneficiary of the NFL's new emergency quarterback rule, allowing a third quarterback to be inactive but dressed on gameday, eligible to enter the game if a team's first two quarterbacks are injured. —Brisco

Running back (4)

Isiah Pacheco, Jerick McKinnon, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Deneric Prince

2022 seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco is the clear clubhouse leader at running back, and veteran Jerick McKinnon emerged as a lethal receiving threat last season and will be a prime backup. Despite Edwards-Helaire's shortcomings with durability and on-field performance over the years, he still has a spot on the team and can be a decent depth option if he finds the form he displayed early last season. Deneric Prince is the wild card here, but the 2023 undrafted free agent should sneak onto the roster due to his excellent performance in training camp. —Foote

Wide receiver (7)

Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Rashee Rice, Justin Watson, Justyn Ross, Richie James 

It's uncommon for the Chiefs to carry seven receivers, but this is an uncommon group. Marquez Valdes-Scantling is by far the most accomplished professional of the group, and he's not a traditional No. 1 wide receiver. If Kadarius Toney's injury lingers, they could place him on injured reserve after making the active roster, but if Toney is ready to go, it's hard to see KC not carrying seven receivers. If I had to cut to six (with Toney theoretically healthy), I would keep Justyn Ross over Richie James, but all seven should start the year with the Chiefs. —Brisco

Tight end (3)

Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, Jody Fortson

The tight end math may be the most difficult of all positions on the Chiefs' roster, as keeping four of them could cause another position to have one spot sacrificed. Travis Kelce and Noah Gray aren't going anywhere and are the clear one-two combo at the top of the depth chart. 

If Jody Fortson recovers from his shoulder injury in time for the regular season and doesn't need to go on the injured reserve list, Blake Bell could be the odd man out. Because he's a vested veteran, though, he wouldn't be subject to waivers and Kansas City could simply re-sign him after making another procedural move elsewhere. I'll err on the side of that happening for now, although it's easy to envision a four-man tight end room once the season actually starts. —Foote

Offensive line (9)

Donovan Smith, Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, Jawaan Taylor, Wanya Morris, Nick Allegretti, Darian Kinnard, Lucas Niang

The first seven offensive linemen listed above (the five starters plus rookie tackle Wanya Morris and do-it-all interior lineman Nick Allegretti) are stone-cold locks. But in the gauntlet of a Super Bowl-caliber roster crunch, we struggled to find room for all three of KC's young developmental o-linemen who haven't shown much at the pro level: Darian Kinnard, Lucas Niang and Prince Tega Wanogho. In a vacuum, I would try to sneak Kinnard to the practice squad for a chance to develop off the active roster in favor of more athleticism from Niang and Wanogho, but with his move to the interior, Niang and Wanogho become a bit redundant as a pair of backup tackles. I'll give Niang the slight edge, but the end of the o-line depth chart is one place I see actual competition through the rest of training camp and the preseason. —Brisco

Defensive line (9)

George Karlaftis, Chris Jones, Derrick Nnadi, Mike Danna, Tershawn Wharton, Keondre Coburn, Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Malik Herring, BJ Thompson
Suspended: Charles Omenihu

With Charles Omenihu slated to miss the first six weeks of the regular season, that leaves the door open for someone such as Malik Herring or BJ Thompson to make the initial 53-man roster. Both of them get on the list in this case, with usual suspects Chris Jones, Derrick Nnadi, George Karlaftis and Mike Danna expected to eat up premium snaps. Rookies Keondre Coburn and Felix Anudike-Uzomah are nice reserves, with Tershawn Wharton being an x-factor of sorts as he works his way back from a torn ACL. Joshua Kaindoh, who's been impressive in camp, just misses the cut here. —Foote

Linebacker (5)

Nick Bolton, Willie Gay Jr., Drue Tranquill, Leo Chenal, Jack Cochrane

Personally, I'd be tempted to take my chances with only four linebackers with the expectation that Jack Cochrane could land on KC's practice squad, but it seems unlikely that the Chiefs will enter the year with a four-man group. I may be in the minority with my expectation that Tranquill will out-snap Chenal this season, and I'd like to keep the aforementioned Prince Tega Wanogho or former Kansas State cornerback Ekow Boye-Doe, but Cochrane's ability to contribute on special teams and provide depth at a physical position likely earns him a roster spot. —Brisco

Cornerback (5)

Trent McDuffie, L'Jarius Sneed, Jaylen Watson, Joshua Williams, Nic Jones

Kansas City's cornerback group is a pretty cut-and-dry projection here. As Brisco mentioned, it'd be interesting if Boye-Doe could find his way into the party, but keeping five safeties (and really, seven wideouts) limits the availability elsewhere. Seventh-round pick Nic Jones makes the team due to his special teams ability and overall profile, but don't expect him to play a ton of snaps in year one on the job. —Foote

Safety (5)

Justin Reid, Bryan Cook, Mike Edwards, Chamarri Conner, Deon Bush

If the Chiefs need to steal a spot to keep an extra player elsewhere on the roster, Deon Bush may be the last name on the bubble. The top four safeties are cemented into their spots, while Bush could be a favorite of special teams coordinator Dave Toub. —Brisco

Specialists (3)

Harrison Butker, Tommy Townsend, James Winchester

Nothing changes here from last season... or the year before that... or the year before that. Toub's special teams unit let him down a bit in 2022, but Harrison Butker's ankle injury played a major role in that. With him now healthy and Tommy Townsend merely tweaking his own ankle during training camp, things are looking up for Kansas City's punting and kicking operations. James Winchester, as steady and low-key as ever, is back for another year with the Chiefs. —Foote