Three KC Chiefs players fans might not see again in 2022

Wide receiver Cornell Powell

After Chiefs fans set unfairly high expectations ahead of his rookie season, wide receiver Cornell Powell has likely played his last game in a Chiefs uniform.

Chiefs fans will remember the crazy draft hype surrounding Powell after the 2021 NFL Draft. The team’s fifth-round selection had pockets of fans calling him the team’s WR2 before training camp even started. Reality quickly kicked in when he did not even make the team’s initial 53-man roster or appear in 2021 at all. Was the hype unfair? For sure. Powell was not only a late-round prospect but also a late bloomer at Clemson.

Powell made his NFL debut this year only after the Chiefs exhausted wide receiver Marcus Kemp’s practice squad elevations. Powell has appeared in three games in 2022, with only three offensive snaps to his name. He provided the team some special teams depth, but now Kansas City has exhausted Powell’s own practice squad elevations this season. He would have to pass waivers before heading back to the practice squad if Kansas City elevated him anymore. With wide receivers Mecole Hardman and Kadarius Toney returning within the next two weeks, there will be no need for reserve wide receivers on game day.

Powell is okay on special teams, but the Chiefs have better players to use in the remaining regular season and postseason games. In the big picture, Powell will likely be fighting for a roster spot once again in 2023. He has had no opportunities to show his offensive skills, but maybe he has not earned that from the coaching staff. If the Chiefs add another receiver in free agency or the 2023 NFL Draft, then Powell will likely be done in Kansas City.