After a slow and sluggish performance in Pittsburgh, we once again take a look at the roster bubble. Who is in and who is out? We discuss.
The Kansas City Chiefs went to Pittsburgh. That’s about all one can really say.
The Steelers didn’t look particularly good in the second preseason contest for both teams on Saturday, but the Chiefs looked pretty rough. The whole thing was a bit of a mess.
That being said, some guys definitely helped carve out a role on the roster. With two weeks left in the preseason, there are still opportunities to showcase talent but the roster cutdown is rapidly approaching. As of today, this is how I believe Brett Veach feels about this group of ten players, starting with the last five in.
Last Five In:
WR Cody Thompson
With the injury to Marcus Kemp, the answer became clear as to what could happen at wide receiver. As an undrafted free agent, Thompson is certainly making the best of his opportunities. While Thompson is not particularly speedy, he has very good footwork that allows him to get open at a high frequency. Additionally, Thompson has very good hands and does not drop very many passes.
Even though he dropped one against the Steelers on Saturday night, he also led the team in receptions. To add to Thompson’s 7 receptions, he also finished with 69 yards on 11 targets. If Thompson can show any capability on special teams, there is a very good chance that he makes the roster.
OT Dino Boyd
Until the Steelers game, many had never thought twice about Dino Boyd. Now all of that has changed. Andy Reid typically keeps a lot of offensive linemen on the roster and Boyd may have the skill set that the team is looking for. To my surprise, he took reps with the second-team offense which could signal good things for him.
While Boyd is not super polished, he does have some nice attributes. To me, the best thing about Boyd is his effort. He never gives up on a play and will play even after the whistle is blown. While he is not the typical size of a tackle, he plays quick and takes pass-rushers out of the play. Against both the Steelers and the Bengals he was impressive.