With training camp (theoretically) set to kick off this week, it’s time to look ahead to see who may miss the final cut for the Chiefs regular season roster
Some general caveats are in order before we start to discuss the details of the Kansas City Chiefs initial 55-man roster for the upcoming season
First, we can acknowledge that we have no idea what rosters may look like this season. It is possible that the Chiefs start and end their training camp with the same number of people on the roster. It is also possible that the numbers which they’re required to meet at different deadlines are either modified or eliminated.
Despite that reality, it is a valuable exercise to see who may be on the outs with the coaching staff, and who may ultimately win battles during the ramp-up period for the 2020 season.
Second, it’s also possible that the COVID-19 pandemic affects the length of training camp, which could lead to an unforeseen stoppage or alteration of dates. We have no real idea of what the training camp period—or regular season—might look like until it actually happens.
Nonetheless, we’re here to try to make sense of what players may find themselves out of a job in Kansas City by the opening kickoff against the Houston Texans on September 10.
There are a few specific positions that have a surplus of players. The Chiefs currently have five running backs who could be in the mix for three, maybe four spots. They have three viable candidates at the center position, and they have at least five defensive ends who could ultimately take up three or four spots on the team.
There are definitely more players than what we’ve listed who could end up not being on the Chiefs’ final roster. However, some of them would surprise and they’re likely more viable trade candidates for the defending Super Bowl Champions. That’s another story for another day, but among those players who may be viable trade candidates, we’d list running back Damien Williams, defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon, and safety Daniel Sorensen.
There are also a lot more players on the roster that we haven’t talked about here, as we tried to focus in on some of the more notable players who may not make it on the team in 2020. Some we’ve excluded who could be prime cut candidates include linebacker Ben Neiman, a different running back like Darrel Williams or DeAndre Washington, and safety Armani Watts.
Here are five potential cut candidates for the defending Super Bowl Champions as we head into training camp.
5. Breeland Speaks
In the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft (Brett Veach’s first draft after taking over for John Dorsey as general manager), the Kansas City Chiefs selected edge rusher Breeland Speaks from Ole Miss with the 48th overall selection. The team thought that Speaks would be an effective pass rusher for the unit to pair with Dee Ford, one that would give them a formidable tandem off the edges in years to come.
To this point, Speaks has been as big of a swing-and-a-miss as Veach has had in his young career. As a rookie in 2018, Speaks played in all 16 games, primarily in a reserve capacity, but tallied only 24 tackles and 1.5 sacks in that (significant) game action.
The 2019 preseason looked like it might be a turning point for the young defensive end, though. Speaks was faster, in better shape, and appeared more powerful during those warm-up games. He was certainly on pace to make an impact on the team. Unfortunately, Speaks suffered a slew of knee injuries in the team’s final preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers, and missed the entire 2019 season.
There is certainly still a chance that Speaks lives up to his selection as a top 50 draft pick. However, the Chiefs have certainly acquired depth at the position in the event that he does not. Not only does the team have one of the top edge rushers in football with Frank Clark, but they also have last year’s starter Alex Okafor returning from injury. Second round pick Tanoh Kpassagnon came on last year and demonstrated versatility along the line. This offseason, the team has also signed free agent former first round draft pick Taco Charlton and added fifth round draft pick Michael Danna.
Its a near certainty that someone doesn’t make the roster at the position and Speaks is on the short list of those who may be cut. However, the Chiefs would incur $1.26 million in dead cap space with only a $600k savings to cut Speaks.
4. Taco Charlton
The other player at the edge position most likely to be cut is former first round pick Taco Charlton. In 2017, the Dallas Cowboys made Charlton the 28th overall pick in the draft. Over two seasons in Dallas, the former Michigan Wolverine played in 27 games with just seven starts and four sacks over the tenure.
In September of 2019, the Cowboys gave up on their former first rounder, and he was picked up by the Miami Dolphins off of waivers. In 2019, Charlton started five games for Miami and played in 10, registering five sacks, three tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in that span. One would have expected that with that production, he may have been given another year on South Beach, but the Dolphins cut him in April as part of a major overhaul of their defensive front seven.
Now with his third team in four years, Charlton is looking for a rebirth with fellow former Wolverine Frank Clark. However, his place on the roster is far from a certainty. The Chiefs gave Charlton the veteran minimum and no guaranteed money, making his exodus painless and simple for Veach should Charlton fail to show any capacity for reaching his potential. The team would save $887K in cap space by cutting Charlton.
In reality, this position battle is probably between Charlton and Speaks. One will make the team as the fourth defensive end and the other will be cut. A good trade offer for Kpassagnon could change the course here. A strong showing by the rookie Danna in training camp could also see both disappointing, former high draft picks on their way out the door.
3. Dorian O’Daniel
Speaking of disappointing draft picks, the 2018 class (Veach’s first) had more disappointments than just Speaks in the second round. The Chiefs also owned two third round picks in the draft. While defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi has turned out well, linebacker Dorian O’Daniel has not.
Selected with the 100th overall pick and billed as the perfect hybrid linebacker for the evolving NFL defensive mindset, O’Daniel was billed as a quick, strong hitter who possessed great athleticism and instincts. O’Daniel was going to be the next great Chiefs linebacker.
To say this has not materialized would be an understatement. In two years with Kansas City, the former Clemson Tiger has one measly start. He has played in 30 games, mostly on special teams, and he’s had no meaningful impact on defense at any point during his tenure here.
His stat line is paltry: 42 tackles, 1 pass defensed, 2 tackles for loss, 1 quarterback pressure. He’s been abysmal in coverage, allowing an 80% completion rate on targets his direction. To his credit, he is a solid special teams player and did record a sack during the Chiefs Super Bowl run a season ago.
That’s hardly enough time to merit keeping a roster spot for him. The team has other options at linebacker, in theory. Recent second round draft pick Willie Gay, Jr. should fill the role the team envisioned getting from O’Daniel. Gay is bigger, stronger, and faster and is more athletic. Hopefully, he can pick up the mental side of the game, which has seemed to plague O’Daniel thus far in his career.
We’ve got O’Daniel on the list of cut candidates, but he also reminds us of other Veach trade assets like safety Eric Murray and offensive lineman Parker Ehinger. He was a highly touted prospect with all of the intangibles. Some team may take a flyer on him in a cut-for-cut kind of trade that has seen the Chiefs previously land players like Emmanuel Ogbah and Charvarius Ward.
The Chiefs would incur $380K in dead cap space but save nearly $600K by cutting O’Daniel.
2. Damien Wilson
Brett Veach is on record as saying he does not like to go into the season with no cap space (see 2019 and a rash of injuries). Right now, the Chiefs aren’t exactly flush with cash (as of press time, the NFLPA has them at $6-plus million in cap space).
There aren’t a lot of ways for the Chiefs to save money between now and September. However, one way in which the team could free up a sizable chunk of space is by moving on from sixth year linebacker Damien Wilson. Wilson is owed $5.375 million in 2020, and the Chiefs need only absorb $875k to cut the former Dallas Cowboy. That’s a savings of $4.5 milion for a team up that has remained against the cap for the entire offseason.
To his credit, Wilson did start all 16 contests with Kansas City in 2019, his first with the team after the Cowboys let him go after four years in Dallas. He recorded 81 tackles and 1.5 sacks, with 1 pass defensed and no turnovers created in those 16 starts.
Wilson was tasked with too much in 2019. He’s effective as a run stopper but he was asked to play in coverage far too often, and he responded by allowing a 70% completion rate. He’s a solid tackler when he gets to the ball carrier, with only a 6.5% missed tackle rate in 2019. But it’s possible the Chiefs don’t want to pay a limited run stuffer that much money.
We’re not saying its a foregone conclusion, but if the Chiefs are hoping to save money before the season starts, this is a good place to start.
1. Austin Reiter
Another place the Kansas City Chiefs can free up cap space is at the center position, where the team can save $3.4 million in 2020 by cutting starter Austin Reiter.
Admittedly, Reiter started all 16 games in 2019 and cutting him before a season where continuity may matter more than normal could be a stretch. But consider this: Reiter is a below league average center. In fact, Pro Football Focus ranked him the 24th best (worst?) center in football a season ago.
What’s more is that the might already have cheaper replacements in house. Kansas City used its seventh round pick on Nick Allegretti in 2019 under the premise that he’d be competing at center. That never materialized, but he’s still on the team and Veach (and Reid) seemed to have high hopes for the kid a season ago.
In addition to Allegretti, undrafted rookie free agent Daryl Williams should be in the mix for the gig during training camp. The former Mississippi State standout signed a major free agent contract with Kansas City after the draft, and the team seems incredibly high on his potential to start for the team at some point, perhaps sooner rather than later.
Regardless of what happens, center is an interesting roster battle to watch for Kansas City over the next six weeks.