Kendre Miller, Robert Woods Named 'Bubble' Players Who Could Help Chiefs

With NFL cutdowns approaching, one outlet believes two potential roster casualties could help the reigning champs.

Jan 7, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller (25) runs against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

As NFL roster cutdowns approach, all 32 clubs are hard at work deciding who to part ways with from their own 90-man groups. Scouting out the rest of the league is equally important, however, as late-summer additions could end up assisting teams this season.

With a few positions that could possibly benefit from help, who should the Kansas City Chiefs be keeping an eye on? One outlet thinks a running back and wide receiver could pique the interest of the back-to-back Super Bowl champs.

In a recent list for Bleacher Report, Alex Ballentine detailed seven players on the roster bubble who could boost other teams in 2024. His picks for the Chiefs are New Orleans Saints halfback Kendre Miller and Houston Texans wideout Robert Woods, neither of whom has a totally solidified spot on his respective squad. If released in the next few days, are they practical pickups for the Chiefs?

Would Robert Woods make sense as a veteran wideout pickup?

"Woods is on the older side, but that doesn't mean that he isn't a useful player anymore," Ballentine wrote. "He still caught 40 passes for 426 yards and a touchdown which isn't bad production if he's being counted on as a third wide receiver. There are a few teams that could use a steady player like Woods in their receiving corps."

Ballentine's point about Woods being over the hill is completely valid. Now over a decade into his NFL career, he posted his lowest reception and yardage totals last season while also scoring a lone touchdown for just the second time in his career. Additionally, his 45.3% success rate was his worst since 2013 and his 5.7 yards per target mark was a personal low. Woods can help a receiving stable in 2024, but whichever team he's on (even if he stays in Houston) has to know what he is and isn't.

Kansas City has too many cooks in the kitchen at the receiver position right now to worry about Woods. Marquise "Hollywood" Brown is recovering from a sternoclavicular injury that could see him miss a regular-season game or two, but he's complemented by Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Justin Watson and Skyy Moore. Possibly add in Mecole Hardman and maybe even one other player, and it's hard to see another acquisition making sense right now. Had Brown not been signed and Worthy not been drafted during the offseason, it'd be a different story.

Could Chiefs pursue Kendre Miller if Saints part with him?

"The Chiefs should also be interested if the Saints give up on Miller," said Ballentine. "Clyde Edwards-Helaire is in playing on a one-year contract and they could be relying on an undrafted fullback in Carson Steele to help out with the running back rotation."

This one is more sensible than the Woods proposal. Despite joining the Saints just last year, there have been rumblings that Miller isn't a favorite of head coach Dennis Allen due to his lack of availability. The former third-round pick out of TCU played in only eight games as a rookie and has dealt with knee and ankle ailments already. His durability questions existed entering the 2023 NFL Draft, as that's what kept him out of pre-draft workouts. When on the field, though, he can help.

Miller's rookie NFL season saw him average 5.4 yards per touch, and his junior year with the Horned Frogs was excellent. He ran for 1,399 yards on 224 carries, also hauling in 16 passes for 116 yards. Given Edwards-Helaire's recent struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder and the impressive Steele still being early in his development, Kansas City's running back picture behind Isiah Pacheco is far from perfect.

If the Saints cut ties with Miller, he'd be an interesting flier to take assuming the Chiefs were up for it.

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