Chiefs Training Camp 53-Man Roster Projection: Impact of potential Rashee Rice suspension, Jared Wiley ACL recovery
The Kansas City Chiefs have officially reported to Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri, for their 2025 NFL training camp.Over the next six weeks of practice, the team will lay the foundation that will lead to success during the 2025 NFL season. They’ve got plenty of new pieces that will be vying to prove themselves […]
The Kansas City Chiefs have officially reported to Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri, for their 2025 NFL training camp.
Over the next six weeks of practice, the team will lay the foundation that will lead to success during the 2025 NFL season. They’ve got plenty of new pieces that will be vying to prove themselves at training camp and during the preseason. They’ll all have the goal of earning an opportunity to contribute on the Chiefs’ 53-man roster or 16-man practice squad during the upcoming season.
What will the final iteration of the team look like after roster cuts and ahead of their Week 1 game against the Los Angeles Chargers in September? Find A to Z Sports’ latest projections below.
Note: Players with a single asterisk (*) are 2025 draft picks. Players with double asterisks (**) are 2025 undrafted free agents. Players in italics are practice squad candidates.
Quarterback (2)
On the 53-man roster: Patrick Mahomes and Gardner Minshew
Cut: Chris Oladokun, Bailey Zappe
While I do think the Chiefs may revert to Andy Reid’s old ways of carrying three quarterbacks, this roster is very, very competitive. It feels like some personnel changes, such as injuries or suspensions at other positions, are needed for the team to realistically have the roster space to carry three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. Of course, Mahomes and Minshew have enough experience between the two of them that Kansas City should get by with two quarterbacks.
Running back (4)
On the 53-man roster: Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, Carson Steele, and Brashard Smith*
Cut: Elijah Young**, Elijah Mitchell
I keep going back and forth on whether the Chiefs will go with Carson Steele or Elijah Mitchell as the final man in the running back room. Mitchell is healthy to start training camp, but was dealing with something at the end of mandatory minicamp. It’s just a glaring reminder of his lengthy injury history with the 49ers. Meanwhile, Steele must prove that he has made some strides from Year 1 to Year 2, particularly in holding onto the football. Ultimately, it might come down to who is the better player in pass protection and for Dave Toub’s special teams unit.
Tight end (4)
On the 53-man roster: Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, Jared Wiley, and Jake Briningstool**
Cut: Robert Tonyan, Georquarius Spivey
Reserve/PUP: Tre Watson**
Jared Wiley, beginning training camp off the PUP list as he recovers from his ACL injury, is actually one of the bigger developments heading into training camp. If he were to start on the Active/PUP list, the team would have a bit more roster flexibility at the position. Now, you’ve got four players (if you include Watson) vying for a fourth tight end spot, if the team even carries four players at the position. Right now, I’m giving that to TE Jake Briningstool, who I project to be the Chiefs’ training camp darling of 2025. He’ll beat out a veteran like Tonyan because of the rules surrounding veteran eligibility on the practice squad.
Wide receiver (6)
On the 53-man roster: Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, Xavier Worthy, Jalen Royals*, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Nikko Remigio, Tyquan Thornton
Cut: Skyy Moore, Elijhah Badger**, Mac Dalena**, Jimmy Holliday, Jason Brownlee
Reserve/Suspended: Rashee Rice
With the expectation that Rashee Rice will serve a multi-game suspension at the onset of the 2025 NFL season, I anticipate the Chiefs will opt for a six-receiver roster instead of a five-receiver one. I view Brown, Worthy, Smith-Schuster, and Royals as the locks, but after that, things get interesting. Currently, I’m giving a player like Nikko Remigio the edge over Skyy Moore, acknowledging that there might be some recency bias at play. Special teams is going to be where the battle is won between those two players, and I feel like Remigio has the clear edge. Tyquan Thornton fits as a backup deep threat for Worthy/Brown, who can also play a role on special teams coverage units. Badger, Dalena, and Holliday each seem like types the team would want to continue developing on the practice squad.
Offensive line (10)
On the 53-man roster: Josh Simmons*, Kingsley Suamataia, Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, Jaylon Moore, Jawaan Taylor, Hunter Nourzad, Wanya Morris, Ethan Driskell, and Mike Caliendo
Cut: Esa Pole, Joey Lombard, C.J. Hanson, Chu Godrick, Dalton Cooper**
I got the impression from Chiefs HC Andy Reid that Jawaan Taylor’s stay on the Active/PUP list would be over before training camp lets out. Still, I think this is an opportunity for Josh Simmons and Jaylon Moore to really emerge and show their value. I think it also creates an opportunity for guys like Wanya Morris and Ethan Driskell to prove themselves with the second-team unit. My big question is C.J. Hanson and whether he’s taken a big enough step forward to justify a roster spot again. Based on his Week 18 game last season, I’d say no. But we’ll see what he can do during training camp and the preseason.
Defensive line (9)
On the 53-man roster: George Karlaftis, Charles Omenihu, Mike Danna, Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Ashton Gillotte*, Omarr Norman-Lott*, Chris Jones, Jerry Tillery, and Mike Pennel
Cut: Fabien Lovett, Malik Herring, Marlon Tuipulotu, Janarius Robinson, Coziah Izzard**
NFI: BJ Thompson
The edge rusher position is pretty cut-and-dry for Kansas City. They’ve got five guys, short of injury or a trade, that should realistically make the 53-man roster. How Brett Veach goes about handling the interior defensive line will be fascinating, as they’ve got 888 snaps to make up between Tershawn Wharton and Derrick Nnadi’s departures. I do think that Lovett, Tuipulotu, or Izzard could sneak their way onto the roster if the Chiefs want another big body for the interior defensive line. For now, I think they’re trending toward a lighter and more versatile group.
Linebacker (6)
On the 53-man roster: Nick Bolton, Drue Tranquill, Leo Chenal, Jack Cochrane, Jeffrey Bassa* and Cam Jones
Cut: Cole Christiansen, Brandon George**, Cooper McDonald**
This might realistically be the Chiefs’ deepest position group. The question is whether any of the young guys will be able to supplant some of the veterans on the roster. Initially, I think the answer is no. Cochrane seems like the type bound to take a step forward after multiple years in the system on defense and special teams.
Cornerback (5)
On the 53-man roster: Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Nazeeh Johnson, Nohl Williams*, and Chris Roland-Wallace
Cut: Joshua Williams, Darius Rush, Eric Scott Jr., Jacobe Covington**, Melvin Smith**, Kevin Knowles**
Reserve/PUP: Kristian Fulton
I tend to believe that Fulton will start the 2025 NFL season on the Reserve/PUP list as he recovers from a knee injury. Nazeeh Johnson played an outsized portion of snaps with the first-team defense opposite McDuffie and Watson during OTAs and mandatory minicamp. I think at this juncture, without much participation from Fulton, Johnson should be considered the favorite for the No. 3 job. I made a tough decision with Josh Williams, but the Chiefs can save $3.4 million in 2025 if they choose to cut him, and I don’t think he’ll play a big enough role to warrant the salary. Currently, I’m going with Chris Roland-Wallace as my No. 2 nickel corner, but I could see that changing by the end of camp.
Safety (4)
On the 53-man roster: Bryan Cook, Jaden Hicks, Mike Edwards, and Chamarri Conner
Cut: Deon Bush, Major Williams**, Glendon Miller**
This group remains fairly straightforward for the Chiefs with Cook and Hicks as the confirmed starters. Edwards has already proven he can fill in as a starter in Kansas City. I do think that Deon Bush will make a push for the 53-man roster after a few years of spending time on the practice squad. Steve Spagnuolo’s recent comments on Chamarri Conner during OTAs lead me to believe that he’ll continue to play a versatile role with some nickel responsibilities.
Special teams (3)
On the 53-man roster: K Harrison Butker, P Eddie Czaplicki, and LS James Winchester
Cut: P Matt Araiza
The fact that Eddie Czaplicki is even on the roster at this juncture of the season says that he’s well ahead of where Ryan Rehkow was a season ago in his competition with Matt Araiza. I think that gives Czaplicki a leg up on the competition heading into training camp, but we’ll see if he can truly capitalize on it.
Chiefs HC Andy Reid provides first training camp injury updates, including two surprise players slated for the PUP list
The Kansas City Chiefs will have three players starting on the Active/PUP list, including a starter on offense.
