Kansas City Chiefs roster bubble watch: Steelers game hurt several players
By Grant Tuttle
CB Herb Miller
Every player has a moment when they look good and we should never make too much out of something that isn’t there. Herb Miller has now forced the issue and forces us to have a discussion about his potential to make the roster after two very good games. Miller plays at the cornerback position but may have potential as a safety. For a defense-hungry team, Miller may have won himself a spot on the 53-man roster.
Miller is no all-star. He got beat a couple of times, but once again showed potential as a good depth piece. During the Kansas City telecast, Brett Veach also mentioned him as a guy who was outperforming expectations. He is. With solid speed and instincts, Miller has a chance of beating some other guys out for a roster spot.
S Armani Watts
After saying Watts may be on his way out, I have reversed my position due to Jordan Lucas‘s playing time. In my observation, I believed that Lucas fit the Chiefs scheme more. Now that Lucas received playing time, it appeared that the Chiefs favored Watts as he got plenty of time with the second-team defense. Watts was not particularly flashy, but he shows promise as a playmaker.
Watts can fit in Spagnuolo’s defense as a guy that plays deep and shows off some range. He is not a great tackler which may give him some trouble if he played closer to the line of scrimmage. For the Chiefs, they will likely give Watts some reps on special teams and hope that he can improve his tackling ability to pair with his playmaking ability. Watts can play the free safety position and will likely be the backup to Juan Thornhill at this point in time.
LB Ben Niemann
How silly of me to even consider the fact that Niemann may not make the roster. Once again the linebacker finds himself a top performer in a preseason game. Not only does he look good as a special teamer, but he also looks good as the backup middle linebacker. Niemann is definitely the guy over Dorian O’Daniel at this point in time.
Niemann shows good burst and downhill acceleration. With a relentless motor, Niemann always finds himself near the ball. Not only is he solid against the run, but he shows some capability in coverage. Ben Niemann may be closer to a lock than a bubble player at this particular moment in time.