The Kansas City Chiefs have turned their attention to the 2023 NFL season with the roster cut deadline coming on Tuesday, Aug. 29. 

On Wednesday, Aug. 30 at Noon CT., the claiming deadline for recently waived players will have passed. At that time, NFL teams can then begin to compile their 16-man practice squad. Kansas City typically prioritizes its own players, but they always make a few new additions as well. This year, they might even carry 17 players on the practice squad due to the International Player Pathway (IPP) practice squad exemption.

You can read all the minutiae and important rules regarding the practice squad here. You can also find a final 53-man roster prediction here.

Below you'll find a look at our practice squad prediction for 2023:

1. C Austin Reiter

Reiter has proven to be the perfect veteran to stash on the practice squad. He runs little risk of being poached (as we saw a season ago) and he can play multiple positions on the offensive interior. I suspect he won’t be mad riding it out on the practice squad and earning a third ring. 

2. TE Blake Bell

I think Bell’s vested status puts him in the crosshairs a bit. They can stash him on the practice squad temporarily, while waiving Bushman would risk him on waivers. You can elevate Bell for the first three weeks and find a 53-man roster spot for him as the season progresses and other injuries occur.

3. QB Carson Wentz

Uh. . . what? ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on SportsCenter on Sunday that the Chiefs had an interest in signing Carson Wentz. If they waive Shane Buechele and Chris Oladokun, and one or both players get snatched up, it totally makes sense. Andy Reid is a quarterback guru and there was once a time when Wentz was having an MVP-caliber year. Get him back to that type of play while working behind Patrick Mahomes and you have a big asset. 

4. WR Ty Fryfogle

Fryfogle is just buried on the depth chart in Kansas City, but he had some flashes during the preseason. I think he’s worth developing, even if the Chiefs keep over a half dozen receivers on the 53-man roster.

5. OL Mike Caliendo

I’m hoping that Caliendo somehow sneaks through waivers. He needs to work on his base and strength, but he showed promise playing center and guard this offseason. I think he’s close and could prove to be good depth or even a future starter with continued development.

6. RB Deneric Prince

Prince was a star during the offseason workout program, but it quickly became clear that the NFL game was just a little too big for him. He needs time working with the coaching staff as a runner and as a kick returner, and there’s no shame in that. He still has a great outlook in Kansas City. This would also help the team financially as Prince has a guaranteed salary that would be offset.

7. OT Jacky Chen

Our friends at Arrowhead Live reported that Chen intended to sign in Kansas City for rookie minicamp, but ended up in Minnesota and then Houston. It’s possible that the Chiefs double back and add Chen, who was released from the Texans on Friday.

8. WR Marcus Kemp

Kemp was released from the Commanders, and you just know that Dave Toub will want to bring him back to elevate to the 53-man roster for special teams purposes. He’s a really talented gunner, so it’d hardly surprise me to see him back in Kansas City in 2023, especially given that the team lost their top player at that position in Nazeeh Johnson. 

9. S Deon Bush

I’m not sure if Bush will go for it, but I think that he’d serve the team well as a veteran player on the practice squad. He’s a solid special teamer and has proved to be good depth, but the Chiefs have quite a few bodies ahead of him at the safety spot. Bush also has quite a bit of guaranteed salary ($350K) that would be offset by his addition to the practice squad. 

10. DE Truman Jones

Jones had the third-most pressures (5) among Chiefs’ edge rushers during the course of the preseason. Only Felix Anudike-Uzomah and Charles Omenihu had more. Continued development here could pay off in 2024 when Mike Danna hits free agency. Jones also has quite a bit of guaranteed salary that would be offset by this move. 

11. LB Cam Jones

I was really impressed with Jones’ performance on special teams and defense before he got injured in preseason Week 3. If I’m Dave Toub and Steve Spagnuolo, this is a player that I want to continue working with. He has $135K in guaranteed salary that would be offset. 

12. LB Olakunle Fatukasi

Fatukasi flashed and produced more spending just two weeks in Kansas City than defenders who have been here the entire offseason. He managed seven tackles, a sack, and a tackle for loss in two games. If he had some more time under his belt, I might be bold enough to put him on the 53-man roster. 

13. S Anthony Cook

Cook proved to be a solid special teamer and a really good run defender. He played 102 snaps during the preseason and notched five total tackles, a single stop, and no missed tackles. Coverage needs a bit of work, but I saw some encouraging signs on Saturday.

14. CB Duron Lowe

This Kansas City native was extremely impressive in his brief tenure with the team. He was targeted three times and only allowed a single reception. I liked what I saw enough to bring him back and let him work on the practice squad. Who knows what he could develop into?

15. CB Reese Taylor

Taylor is a developmental nickel corner. He had three pressures, three stops, and five total tackles this preseason. I think the choice is probably between continued development of Dicaprio Bootle or taking up a new player like Taylor. 

16. DT Phil Hoskins

Hoskins was credited with the block field goal that sealed the preseason Week 3 win for the Chiefs. You know that play got him in the good graces of Dave Toub. Kansas City might want to keep around some defensive line depth on the practice squad depending on what happens with Chris Jones. This would be Hoskins’ second year on the practice squad.

*17. OT Jason ‘Chu’ Godrick

The Chiefs get an extra spot on the practice squad this year should Jason “Chu” Godrick not be claimed on waivers. He gets a practice squad exemption as a member of the International Player Pathway (IPP) program. He’s also very much worth developing, given the fact that he never played a game of football before this preseason. Did I mention that he didn’t allow a single pressure in three games?

Did Chiefs RB La’Mical Perine play his way onto the 53-man roster?

Our Charles Goldman thinks that Kansas City Chiefs RB La’Mical Perine played his way onto the 53-man roster with his performance on Saturday.

Featured image via Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports