Kansas City Chiefs’ most intriguing position battles for 2023
By Matt Conner
Rosters are now largely set. A few signings will still find their way across the transaction wire, but for the most part, NFL rosters are mostly what we can expect them to be in 2023—at least for the more stable teams in the league. While young, rebuilding teams will likely continue to turn over the roster at multiple positions, contenders like the Kansas City Chiefs know what they have and will prepare to move forward with it.
This means that at this stage of the NFL offseason, after the initial free agent frenzy and first-year player draft, we can also figure out where some of the best roster battles will be fought when it comes to training camp. These are the intriguing roster battles that make us wonder who will come out on top between multiple competitors who each have a legitimate chance to lay claim to a position.
Let’s take a look at the most intriguing options and where things stand as of now at various positions for the Chiefs.
Chamarri Conner vs. Mike Edwards
The safety position has undergone several changes this offseason and has been completely remade in the last 18 months. Tyrann Mathieu left last season and Juan Thornhill departed this spring, leaving the team without two longtime starters after successive offseason. Instead, Justin Reid is the veteran leader heading into his second season, and his new tandem partner should be last year’s second-round pick, Bryan Cook.
As much as the Chiefs play a third safety on defense, the battle for S3 is going to be an important one. Last year, the defense was a lot better on the back end by upgrading from Dan Sorensen to Bryan Cook. In free agency, the Chiefs brought in Mike Edwards from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after a breakout season on a one-year deal. But the draft also brought Chamarri Conner, a versatile, well-coached defensive back from Virginia Tech.
Edwards should have a leg up due to his experience, but he was only playing last year because Antoine Winfield was injured for the Bucs. Edwards responded with a strong season, but the Chiefs clearly liked Conner in the draft after trading up in the fourth to get him. If Conner takes quickly to instruction, he could surprise in training camp. The Chiefs aren’t shy about asking a lot from their rookie defensive backs.