5 winners (and 4 losers) from Chiefs' revealing night against Buccaneers

Wins and losses might not matter in August, but that doesn't mean that we're free of labeling winners and losers. With so much at stake for scores Kansas City Chiefs playres with one week to go before roster cuts are due, it was pretty clear to identify those who helped their cause and those who did not as the Chiefs took to the field at Raymond James Stadium.

The Chiefs visited the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for their second preseason tune-up, and just like their opener against the L.A. Rams, the results were decidedly mixed. Here's our rundown of some of the night's winners and losers.

Winner/Loser: Harrison Butker

Generating excitement for offensive drives that settle for field goals is a real accomplishment, but it was hard not to feel the feels when Harrison Butker drilled a 69-yard FG that had plenty of room to spare. That it was his third FG conversion of the night just further cemented the strong preseason he's put together for the Chiefs.

Unfortunately, the Chiefs-Bucs game reminded fans of the Jekyll-and-Hyde nature of relying on Butker. A short TD run by Emmett Johnson was followed by a Butker miss on a long PAT (after a penalty). In the fourth quarter, Butker missed a 43-yard field goal that would have given K.C. the lead (not that the score matters all that much here). Exciting? Yes. Nerve-wracking? That too.

Winner: R Mason Thomas

It's impossible to ignore R Mason Thomas when he's on the field. His elite burst off the edge and considerable bend are not only premium assets up front for the Chiefs, but they also stand in contrast to what fans have seen for years at defensive end.

Thomas' instincts have been impressive in the preseason, and a prospect who was billed as a rotational pass rusher has looked better than expected against the run. The Chiefs needed a premium asset to help disrupt opposing passers this offseason and they found a gem in the second-round rookie.

Loser(s): Jaylon Moore / Kahlil Benson

If you heard something deflating on Saturday night, it was the Kahlil Benson balloon, but we're looping in Jaylon Moore here because it's hard to ignore the greater conversation about how bad the Chiefs' tackles looked with Josh Simmons sitting out the game. The makeshift line was down two starters, to be fair, but the Chiefs are clearly going with one of Benson or Moore to anchor the right side. But even in a vanilla game against the Bucs, they both looked overmatched.

Benson is a nice story and could develop into something useful, but Week 1 readiness feels unreasonable at this stage. As for Moore, he's being paid handsomely to hold down the role, but the fact that Benson is even in the picture is an indictment against the veteran. At this point, the Chiefs have to wonder how Esa Pole would look if given the chance.

Winner: Felix Anudike-Uzomah

One of the biggest plays of the night for Kansas City belonged to Anudike-Uzomah, who absolutely flattened Bucs quarterback Jake Browning on a sack near the end of the first quarter.

This was an important splash play because the Chiefs are going to need Anudike-Uzomah to step up and provide some occasional impact to help with a defensive end group that lacks a clear difference-maker opposite George Karlaftis. FAU has had a strong preseason and says he's feeling healthy again after sitting out last season due to injury. His emergence could be one of the most important storylines of the summer.

Loser: Justin Fields

The Chiefs flipped a sixth-round pick in 2027 to the Jets in order to secure Fields' services behind Patrick Mahomes. The move made sense on paper given Mahomes' recovery timeline from torn knee ligaments, but the roller coaster experience with Fields under center is frustrating to watch. Taking a 20-yard sack from the 7-yard line was painful, and it's hard to ignore the fact that seventh-round rookie Garrett Nussmeier looks like a better QB2 candidate. Experience counts for Andy Reid, so we're not predicting a real battle right now, but there's too much bad to go with the good here.

Winner: Jaden Hicks

The Chiefs needed Hicks to stack strong performances after serving up a standout effort in the preseason opener. On Saturday, he did just that with another impressive turn against the Bucs. Hicks' instincts and athleticism would significantly boost the secondary's ceiling, but mental mistakes have held him back in Steve Spagnuolo's trust-based system. If Hicks can put it all together coming into his third season, that makes a real difference for a safety room that lost Bryan Cook in free agency.

Winner: Xavier Nwanpka

If Chiefs Kingdom was wondering who might emerge in the battle for the fourth safety slot behind Hicks, Alohi Gilman, and Chamarri Conner, Xavier Nwankpa is the name to know. With Gilman and Conner both sitting due to injury (Gilman was a last-minute adjustment), Nwankpa was the starter at free safety with the first-team defense. That's a big win for Nwankpa, who arrived as a rookie free agent out of Iowa.

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