Kansas City Chiefs’ most intriguing position battles for 2023

Joshua Kaindoh vs Malik Herring vs. B.J. Thompson

The Battle: The final roster spot at defensive end should come down to one of these three.

Why Kaindoh could win it: Thompson is green and Herring’s ceiling was never all that high, which means that Kaindoh could slip through again here in his third season. The Chiefs knew all along that Kaindoh would need time and it’s only been a couple of years. If Kaindoh is going to break out, it would behoove the Chiefs to find out before another team cashes in the ticket.

Why Herring could win it: Malik Herring is the dark horse here at the competition for defensive end. A former UDFA who basically sat stashed on injured reserve for his first full year in the league, Herring made it onto the field for approximately 80 snaps in 7 games in ’22. Is that indicative of growing trust and opportunity? It could be.

Why Thompson could win it: If there’s a frontrunner, it has to be the prospect who is the most recent selection as compared to the non-contributing deck chairs that have been sitting on the roster for the last two years. Herring at least gets a pass, but Kaindoh makes Breeland Speaks look somewhat productive at this point. Meanwhile, Thompson isn’t just newer than Kaindoh or Herring; rather, he’s an exciting small-school upshot who needs a redshirt year. Can the Chiefs really put him on the practice squad?