Kansas City Chiefs roster bubble: A post-Bengals breakdown
By Grant Tuttle
Every season a fan base falls in love with some longshots that get a training camp invite. After the preseason opener, we discuss the roster bubble.
If the victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday night was an indication of anything, it was just how deep the Kansas City Chiefs are. The Chiefs dominated in every quarter of the game and it never felt as though the Bengals truly had a chance.
It is, however, the preseason, which means that the aforementioned depth of the team will have to thin to only 53 players by the 31st of August—from its current level at 90.
At this point in time, there are a lot of players on the roster that won’t be by that deadline. Who is going to make the final cut and who are the guys who will be looking for work somewhere else? Here is my current projection of the last five guys in and the last five out.
Last five in:
CB Mark Fields
Mark Fields is an interesting piece to the Chiefs puzzle. As an undrafted free agent, he may appear a longshot to win a job on the roster, but he was, by all accounts a player that should have been drafted. There is speculation as to whether Fields had trouble with the Clemson staff or teammates that led to his lack of interest during the draft. The Chiefs absolutely have no room to be picky when it comes to cornerback as it is likely the weakest spot on the roster.
Who he would have to beat out:
The cornerback room is very competitive and the Chiefs may still be looking for outside help. If this is the case, Fields may have a tougher time. As the roster is today, however, I believe Fields has the talent to make the team. Depending on how many cornerbacks the Chiefs keep, we would likely have beat out D’Montre Wade, Rashad Fenton, Dakari Monroe, and Michael Hunter.
The toughest to beat out of this group may be Fenton and Wade. Wade has gotten some time with the first team in training camp. The Chiefs used a sixth-round pick on Rashad Fenton, which may make them more interested in keeping him. Field, in my opinion, has more overall talent than either of these players and he showcased flashes of that talent against the Bengals.
LB/DE Jeremiah Attaochu
Jeremiah Attaochu’s career has been riddled with injury thus far. If he can stay healthy, he has a really good chance to make the Chiefs roster because of his versatility. Attaochu offers some decent speed on the edge rushing the passer as well as some strength defending against the run from the strongside linebacker position.
Who he would have to beat out:
Attaochu provides more versatility than most backup players on the roster, which is the main reason that I believe he has a chance at making the roster. If he hopes to carve out a place for himself on the roster, he will have to beat out Hunter Dimick, Raymond Davison, Darius Harris, D’Juan Hines, and Robert McCray.