KC Chiefs with real chance to decide their fates vs Packers

The KC Chiefs have their final preseason of 2022 this week against the Packers. Which players have a real chance to decide their fates on Thursday?

The Kansas City Chiefs are 1-1 through their first two preseason games of 2022 and have their final exhibition game of the year against the Green Bay Packers Thursday at Arrowhead. In my opinion, this match is the most important of the three preseason games since it is the last game action that Andy Reid and Co. will have before they have to make serious decisions about the team. By Tuesday, August 30 at 4:00 PM Eastern, NFL clubs must reduce rosters to a  maximum of 53 players on the Active/Inactive List.

Most teams are currently at 85 players (and will be down to 80 by the end of business on Tuesday, August 23) so every team will have to cut almost 40% of its current roster over the next week. The Chiefs still have a lot of decisions to make and Thursday will be critical for helping to answer questions that even Brett Veach and Andy Reid still have about the roster and the competitions within it. These range from the backup quarterback job to whether they will carry a seventh wide receiver.

With only a couple of days before the final “scrimmage” of 2022, which players currently on the Chiefs’ roster bubble control their own destiny the most and have a real chance to decide their fates against the Packers and desperately need a strong performance in order to avoid being waived?

Let’s review several players who have a path to the active roster with a strong game but are also in danger of being cut loose if they have an off night.

OT Prince Tega Wanogho

On the unofficial depth charts, Prince Tega Wanogho is listed as a fourth-string left tackle but his playing time says otherwise. Against the Washington Commanders, he saw playing time with the second-team offensive line at right tackle, ahead of rookie Darian Kinnard, who played on the third-team.

Prince Tega Wanogho is on this list because his status is unclear. It was believed that Kinnard would get priority since he is the rookie and the Chiefs even traded up for him in the draft last April. I included Kinnard on this same list last week because I am not convinced that he’s automatically going to make the team because Kansas City invested fifth-round and seventh-round selections into him (due to the trade-up). To be frank, Kinnard has been horrible in the preseason and it speaks volumes that the Chiefs haven’t been willing to give him second-team reps in a meaningless game. But at the same time, the Chiefs were likely aware of Kinnard’s development path when they drafted him so his preseason play may not impact his chances of making the team, and could serve as the lineman furthest down the depth chart on the active roster and only play as a last resort or as a blocker on field goals.

Moving back to Tega Wanogho, if he can have a strong performance against Green Bay, and Kinnard has another letdown, then he may sneak his way onto the active roster.

Orlando Brown Jr. and Andrew Wylie are locks to make the final roster at offensive tackle, I highly doubt that Geron Christian will be cut, and Lucas Niang is very likely going to start the season on the PUP. That leaves one open tackle spot, depending on whether the Chiefs decide to carry four tackles or five. It also depends on if the Chiefs are willing to use Kinnard at guard but he has spent little time at that position this summer.

Ultimately, how the Chiefs handle Darian Kinnard’s development will greatly influence Prince Tega Wanogho’s odds of making the team. Kansas City even dressed him in multiple games last season so they clearly have some faith in him. If he has a strong performance on Thursday, he may leave Kansas City with no choice and could force them to cut the rookie or carry an extra offensive tackle.