Five Chiefs players barely hanging onto a roster spot

WR Josh Gordon

Another week, another underwhelming preseason performance from wide receiver Josh Gordon. As the roster cut deadline inches closer, Gordon’s chances to stay in Kansas City get slimmer and slimmer.

Gordon had a pretty abysmal game against the Bears, having no catches despite being targeted three times. He needed a bounce-back performance against the Commanders, and the Chiefs gave him a long leash to do so. Gordon led the snap count for all receivers, playing in 41% of the offensive snaps. Despite the opportunity, Gordon was only targeted twice, with one catch for 10 yards.

Gordon has not done much to inspire confidence amongst fans or the Chiefs coaching staff. His calling card is winning contested catches, which he has done this preseason. But, beyond that, Gordon does not have a clear role in this offense. Head coach Andy Reid said that Gordon learned more of the offense this offseason, but rookie Skyy Moore and free-agency acquisition Justin Watson have had no problem melding into the scheme.

Gordon’s biggest detriment is that he does not play on special teams at all. WR5 and WR6 usually have some sort of special teams role for the Chiefs. Wide receivers Daurice Fountain and Cornell Powell have both had good preseason performances, offensively and on special teams. They could bump Gordon off the roster for that versatility alone.

Like Stallworth, Gordon should have some minimal trade value if the Royals choose to explore that option. For now, Gordon will need an insane Week 3 performance to keep his roster hopes alive. Hopefully, he will get more opportunities than he did against the Commanders.