In less than a week, the Kansas City Chiefs and the rest of the NFL will trim their rosters from 90 players down to 53 players. 

Many of the players who are released by the Chiefs will return to the team on the 16-man practice squad, but others will be left without opportunities. It's the harsh reality of the business side of the league that only 53 players are employed on the active roster and another 16 on the practice squad. 

Ahead of the final preseason game, several players face an uphill battle of making the 53-man roster in Kansas City. Not only is it a roster fresh off a Super Bowl win, but it's one of the most competitive rosters in the NFL. There were few spots available from the get-go. 

Below you'll find a look at six players who almost certainly will not make the Chiefs' 53-man roster:

WR Ty Fryfogle

Fryfogle is one of the players suffering from the fact that the wide receiver position is absolutely loaded for Kansas City. He’s even shown some flashes during each of the two preseason games for the Chiefs, but it simply hasn’t been comparable to the likes of players like Ihmir Smith-Marsette and Cornell Powell (who also might struggle to make the team). 

Image credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

CB Dicaprio Bootle

If picking fights with the team’s future Hall of Fame tight end isn’t enough, Bootle plainly hasn’t been good this preseason. He’s allowed three receptions for 41 yards and has been called for three penalties in two weeks of preseason play. He’ll need an all-time performance in preseason Week 3 to have even a sliver of a chance at making the 53-man roster.

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QB Chris Oladokun

Oladokun has actually been surprisingly impressive outside of his preseason Week 1 gaffe that cost the team the game. The problem here is that Shane Buechele and Blaine Gabbert have been better and against tougher competition. Really, the only chance he has at making the 53-man roster is if Kansas City were to ship one of the two aforementioned quarterbacks off in a trade.

Image credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sport

RB Jerrion Ealy

Ealy is trapped somewhere between a wide receiver and a running back. He’s consistently been taking repetitions with the third-team and fourth-team offenses. He hasn’t been a standout on special teams, which many thought he could be when he signed as an undrafted free agent back in 2022. Continued development on the practice squad looks to be his ceiling. 

Image credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sport

TE Kendall Blanton

This legacy player is suffering from playing at a loaded position group, a room featuring Travis Kelce, Noah Gray and Blake Bell seems inevitable in Kansas City. It also doesn’t help that Blanton had a near-fumble at the one-yard line during the preseason. They initially ruled it a fumble and a touchback, but he was narrowly down by contact. Those types of close calls won’t help his chances. 

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C Austin Reiter

Reiter’s vested status is probably the biggest thing hurting his roster chances. They can release him and he doesn’t have to clear waivers in order to return to the team. He also spent the entirety of last season on the practice squad in Kansas City. He’s a valuable veteran backup, but the NFL’s practice squad rules related to veterans work against him quite a bit.

Image credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

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Featured image via Joe Camporeale – USA TODAY Sports