The preseason is officially over for the Kansas City Chiefs, which means we have nothing but a real football game to talk about for the next two weeks.

And that's not all. Final roster cuts are due by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday August 31, so there will also be some drama over the next couple of days.

Looming roster cuts means initial 53-man roster projections will be featured on any and every site that is Chiefs-related. It's always interesting to see who has which players making the team and this year will be no different.

Right off the bat, Arrowhead Pride's editor-in-chief (no pun intended), Pete Sweeney, has a very interesting decision being made by Andy Reid and co. in his most recent roster projection: Rookie fifth-rounder Darian Kinnard does not make the final cut.

Sweeney wrote the following regarding Kinnard's future with the Chiefs:

"Leaving fifth-round pick Darian Kinnard off of the initial 53-man roster will likely be the most controversial decision of this entire article, but I simply don’t think he showed enough this preseason to warrant a roster spot. In past roster competitions, rookies would at least have one opportunity to mix in with the first team at a position up for grabs — and during raining camp, we never saw that once with Kinnard; he took the majority of his St. Joseph reps with the third team. Geron Christian, on the other hand, mixed in with the ‘ones’ for a few days. I believe the Chiefs trust Christian and Prince Tega Wanogho more than Kinnard, who may need a year of seasoning — if not a switch to an inside position."

Outside of the above excerpt, reports geared toward Kinnard's preseason haven not been kind. The former All-American has struggled ever since he was drafted by the team in April. Now, just because Kinnard doesn't make the final cut doesn't mean his career as a Chief is over – KC can stash him on the practice squad as long as no other team claims him for their 53. And that's what will happen if Kinnard is available.

Kinnard's slow-paced development makes the return of Orlando Brown Jr. even more crucial. The former Wildcat was seen as part of the possible solution to navigate life without Brown Jr. at one point, but that's obviously no longer the case.

It'll be interesting to see if the Chiefs do in fact slide Kinnard inside. General manager Brett Veach said back in May the Chiefs view Kinnard as a right tackle, but he may have to take a few steps back on that statement.

If the Chiefs do move Kinnard inside, his future with the team becomes a lot less clear in terms of his role. The Chiefs are set at both guard positions with All-Pro Joe Thuney and second-year Trey Smith manning the spots. Unless something tragic happens with either of them, Kinnard will certainly be relegated to a backup role over the course of his rookie contract. Whereas, he had a shot to be the Chiefs' starting right tackle, at first.

Either way, this is rookie life in the NFL. Will Kinnard adapt or die in terms of his NFL lifespan?

As with all things in the NFL: only time will tell.

You can check out Sweeney's full column, here.

Featured image via Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports