Every incoming rookie class for every NFL franchise across every single NFL season has always done one thing: apply considerable pressure to a large swath of veteran players who don't exactly have the strongest grip on their expected roles.
The NFL stands for Not For Long for this very reason. Younger (and often cheaper) players enter the league and supplant those who just recently achieved a lifelong dream of playing professional football in the first place. It's the circle of life, as Elton John sings, although the legendary singer likely wasn't thinking of Kevin Knowles when he wrote that song.
Anyway, the important thing to note is that the Kansas City Chiefs' rookie class is intended to unseat some veteran players—veteran is a term we're using loosely here. A new arrival means someone else is departing, since there are only so many roster spots to go around (that'd be 90 during the offseason).
Here's a look at some Chiefs players who are likely feeling more nervous about things after the 2026 NFL Draft.
Kevin Knowles, CB
The Chiefs added two cornerbacks with their first four picks and no one would be all that surprised if both LSU's Mansoor Delane and Oregon's Jadon Canady ended up starting at some point in their rookie campaigns. The former is the best corner in the class, and the latter is an experienced, pro-ready slot defender taken in the fourth round.
Kristian Fulton and Nohl Williams are the veteran holdovers from a year ago and will be jousting for starting reps. Kader Kohou was signed in free agency away from the Miami Dolphins. Kaiir Elam is an intriguing flyer who will be given a shot to compete in training camp. Even Christian Roland-Wallace can play inside (and Chamarri Conner but we'd rather not talk about that one).
Knowles was a nice story a year ago, and the Chiefs clearly like him, but there's some squeezing happening here that's either going to make one of the new arrivals' stay much shorter than expected or put Knowles on the outside looking in.
Brashard Smith, RB
Last year's seventh-round pick, Brashard Smith, was a sparkplug on offense that fans were begging to see for most of the season, given the desperate state of the backfield. It wasn't until season's end that Smith got a bit more playing time, and he had some nice moments with clear potential.
That said, it's also not difficult to read the tea leaves this offseason in terms of any holdover at the position. Kenneth Walker III was signed in free agency. Emari Demercado was, too. The moment Emmett Johnson was drafted in the fifth round out of Nebraska, it became clear that Smith would need to find other ways to add value because the ground game is spoken for.
The good news is that Smith has the sort of offensive versatility that K.C. can use elsewhere, but therein lies the challenge for a player who didn't get enough reps last year as it was.
Nikko Remigio, WR
You can't discuss the fallout for Brashard Smith without bringing up Nikko Remigio, and his role is further complicated by the arrival of Cincinnati wide receiver Cyrus Allen in the sixth round. Remigio's hold on the return role felt much firmer a year ago than it does now after he failed to really provide a discernible spark on special teams in 2025.
Every position comes down to a numbers game, and if Smith finds his way onto the roster this summer via Remigio's spot, then it could spell the end of his tenure with the team.
Chris Oladokun, QB
For a brief second, Chris Oladokun likely thought he had a meaningful shot to compete for the Chiefs' backup quarterback role behind Patrick Mahomes in 2026 following a nice showing against the Denver Broncos. Unfortunately, everything after that has signaled otherwise.
Not only did Oladokun turn back into a pumpkin at season's end, but the Chiefs then traded for Justin Fields near the start of a new league year. As if that wasn't itself a sign, Brett Veach added a surprise in the seventh round of the draft in the form of quarterback Garrett Nussmeier from LSU, a move which further pushes Oladokun down the depth chart.
At this stage, the numbers game doesn't favor Oladokun chances of staying on the active roster, to be sure, but even his regular seat at the practice squad bar is in jeopardy. After several years of bucking the odds, Oladokun's tenure in K.C. looks like it's coming to an end.
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