Kansas City Chiefs: Four Training Camp Takeaways

Takeaway No. 3: I believe there are two spots that the Chiefs may need to add a veteran at after roster cuts begin.

While I feel good about the overall roster depth there are two positions where I feel like the Chiefs would benefit from picking up an experienced veteran if one becomes available after roster cuts begin. The position I feel strongest about in that regard is the defensive line. If Dontari Poe only misses a couple games and everyone else stays healthy, I feel good about the rotation of Poe, Allen Bailey, Mike DeVito, Jaye Howard, and Mike Catapano. However, after that there isn’t a single player that I feel good about having to play significant minutes in regular season games.

What scares me is the thought of the nearly 350-pound Poe with back problems. I’m guessing the Chiefs don’t like that idea either so they may be cautious about bringing him back until they know he is fully recovered. If that’s the case he could easily miss half the season.

I’m not predicting that will happen, but I think it’s a scenario the Chiefs have to prepare for. If that’s the case they need more than four guys to man the defensive line while he is out. Unless one of the younger players on the roster steps up his game in the preseason, I would like to see the Chiefs add a quality rotational player to the defensive line unit.

The other position where I’d like to see the Chiefs add a veteran presence is at tight end. While Travis Kelce is one of the premiere tight ends in all of football, the Chiefs have a lot of questions behind him. Does Demetrius Harris have some upside? Yes, but he also has injury issues and counting on him to play significant snaps this season is a gamble that flat out scares me.

Next: What about tight end?