Chiefs Position Battles To Watch Vs. Panthers

Aug 7, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Brandon Tate (19) makes a catch for a touchdown as Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Ron Parker (38) defends during the first quarter at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Week two of the preseason for the Chiefs means the competition for the final roster spots and for rankings on the depth chart gets that much tighter. The first round of roster cuts are coming soon and the Chiefs have several key questions left to answer about who is going to be on the team and what their role will be if they are on the roster. Let’s take a look at some of the roster battles that should receive a lot of attention tonight.

1. Cornerback

Primary Figures: Sean Smith and Ron Parker

Round one of the starting cornerback battle went decisively in favor of Sean Smith. Smith was excellent in his quarter of play which included an interception return for a touchdown. He was active, covered well, and prevented big plays.

The same could not be said for Ron Parker who gave up a touchdown reception to Brandon Tate and a big play to A.J. Green. Parker also was flagged for two illegal contact penalties. Parker was at a disadvantage having to play against Green while Smith never had a snap against the Bengals first team, but Parker has to show better than that if he wants to hold onto his starting spot.

We saw in the final half of training camp that Smith had gained some significant ground on Parker, forcing a rotation of Marcus Cooper, Parker, and himself as first team cornerback candidates. The Chiefs desperately need both Parker and Smith to be good, so hopefully the competition makes them both better football players. Otherwise the Chiefs are going to find themselves giving up a lot of big plays on the edges of the field.