Laddie Morse
Day 11 of the Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp has come and gone and for all we can tell, the Left Tackle situation has resolved itself with Kingsley Suamataia taking control. Ed Easton Jr. from Chiefs Wire quoted Andy Reid as saying this of Suamataia:
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“He’s working with those starters and doing a nice job
there. He’s working number one hard on the things that
we’re trying to try to teach him. There are a lot of new
things that he’s learned, and he is playing aggressively
and getting better every day. He’s not taking steps back,
which is important. He’s getting to go against good
players, which is also important, and competing there.”
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Sounds like Suamataia has that position wrapped up to me. Wanya Morris hasn’t seen first team reps since the pads came on which was more than a week ago now.
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The RB Position
With Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s comments about having PTSD on Wednesday, it appears the Chiefs are going to take the decision making process slowly so as to not upset CEH any more than needs be. Before listing the possible others who could make the 53-man roster, we need to know that Isiah Pacheco is a lock to make the team and be the starter.
In fact, Pop is lighter this year and faster (if that’s possible). I see his running not so much as pounding the ground but as gliding over it. Yes, he can still punish the ground, but I have seen him move quickly through the LoS and into the defensive backfield without any effort and I call that gliding.
Since RB#2 and #3 positions are two of the positions that still are up for grabs… here is a rundown of those players who might be making the team:
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Louis Rees-Zammit
LRZ is a lock according to some analysts. Matt Derrick called LRZ the “X-Factor” so… he could be the guy who makes the final 53. I see him as a #3RB who has a big hand in the kickoff return game, if he makes the team.
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Deneric Prince
Prince took over for CEH while he was out and dealing with his PTSD. DP is a big boy and at 6-foot-0 and 219 lbs. he can crunch men at the Line of Scrimmage. If K.C. cuts CEH, Prince might be the one to take his place. We do know that Veach loves RBs that are his size.
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Kadarius Toney
Around a couple of weeks ago, Reid and Co. decided to begin using KT as a RB. Last year he had some positive plays from that position and since he’s experienced some frustrating times at WR, especially related to injuries, he is now considered a hybrid WR/RB. I’m not so certain he can make it as a RB, but we’ll wait-n-see and I’m guessing that’s the stance Reid and Co. are taking too: a wait-n-see approach.
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Keaontay Ingram
Keaontay Ingram is another back who is the size that Brett Veach loves: 6-0, and 221 lbs.. While he played his college ball at Texas and USC he had a very good broad jump surpassing 10 ft.. Here’s his Relative Athletic Score board:
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Ingram was a 6th round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2022 NFL draft. Here’s what Jordan Foote said about Ingram in his piece:
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“Thus far in his NFL career, Ingram has played in 20 regular-season games. In those contests, he has 62 rushing attempts for 134 yards (2.2 yards per attempt) with a touchdown. In eight games this season, he had 74 rushing yards and four receptions for 26 yards. In all, Ingram has accounted for five first downs in 2023 and had his best game on October 15 against the Los Angeles Rams (10 carries for 40 yards and two catches for 11 yards). He’s played a combined 133 snaps between offense and special teams this season.”
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I’m not too impressed with Ingram and I doubt he makes the team.
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Emani Bailey
Bailey is 5-foot-7 and weighs 202 lbs.. His small size is the first thing that jumps out at you. If he had exceptional skills he might make a difference. He does have some pop in his running but not enough to make a difference for K.C..
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Carson Steele
At 6-foot- and 228 lbs. Steele is closer to the size of a FB than a RB. However, the Chiefs list him as a RB. I don’t see Andy Reid going back to the days of carrying a FB on the roster and think he’ll more likely carry a 4th tight end instead. I see Carson Steele on the outside looking in.
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Wide Receivers
Before we talk about the WRs who might fill in the final roster spot(s), let cover the ones who appear to be locks.
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Marquise Hollywood Brown
Hollywood was signed this offseason and has taken over a veteran’s role with the younger WRs. He’s a for sure.
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Xavier Worthy
Worthy has finally show up in camp and you can witness his speed. He’s also a for sure.
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Rashee Rice
The only ting holding Rice back is his off-field issues, if they do. He’s a for sure.
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Justin Watson
Many forget that Watson ran a 4.41 on his pro day at Penn with a 40 inch vertical jump (which means he has excellent explosion).
I think these four WRs are locks to make the 53-man roster even though Watson hurt his foot last week. I also think the Chiefs will carry 6 WRs so here’s a breakdown on the rest of the WRs in camp trying to make the team.
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Mecole Hardman
Hardma is a 4.33 guy who knows the playbook. If indeed Hardman is a keeper, that will only leave one open spot on the roster for a 6th Wide Receiver. I’m not so sure that Veach doesn’t work out a trade with Hardman included. More on this later.
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Kadarius Toney
If Toney makes the team it’s likely he’s making it more as a RB.
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Montrell Washington
Montrell has been making a case for himself as of late. Many are basing his qualifications on this play.
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However, as you can see, he doesn’t keep both feet in bounds so the catch wouldn’t count if he made that play in a game. Yes, it was a sensational one-handed grab. I’ll give him that but he has to realize the plays that count are the ones that are official. This wasn’t. Here’s a great play Montrell Washington did make:.
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Cornell Powell
I was high on Cornell Powell when he first came out as a 5th round pick in 2021 (three years ago). This is probably his last go round with the Chiefs.
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Nikko Remigio
Nikko Remigio has had a consistently solid training camp for the second year in a row. This year he’s stepped up his play and has a good chance to make the 53 man squad. Here he is making a nice move over #39 Keith Taylor to get open:
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Here’s Remigio making a great catch falling away:
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Nikko Remigio will likely make the team as a kick-returner which he is excellent at. In his years at California he had 983 return yards and a kickoff return for a TD, plus he had 2 punt return TDs during his last year at Fresno State.
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Kyle Sheets
Kyle Sheets was first signed as a UDFA by the Saints in late April then got his chance with the Chiefs. He’s 6-foot-4 and weighs 220 lbs. with a 4.52 40 – yard dash time. Last year he had 76 catches for 1,186 yards and 17 TDs at Slippery Rock University in Springboro, PA. Sheets may come on later in his PS experience (because I think that’s where he’s headed), but I don’t see him making the 53 man team this year.
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Justyn Ross
Justyn Ross was a medical UDFA last year and the Chiefs took a chance on him. This year, he appears to be fully healed, not that he wasn’t last year, but this year he is full-go and nothing seems to be holding him back. Plus, others are noticing.
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Ross and his skills haven’t been a perfect fit for the K.C. offense. Meaning, his tall body (he’s 6-foot-4 and 205 lbs.) and ability to leap up and grab passes at the back of the end zone haven’t been exactly what K.C. does. That requires a bit of faith on the part of the QB and the HC so Ross hasn’t offered the right stuff for K.C. to bite on.
Is that all Ross offers? Not necessarily. However his 4.64 speed… or lack thereof… might make his leaping ability a must to consider keeping him. Back-up QB Carson Wentz has connected more with Ross during Training Camp than Patrick Mahomes has and that may be problematic:
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If Patrick Mahomes does make a connection with Justyn Ross, the rest of the league needs to watch out!
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Summary
The solution to some of these problems may be to trade away some talent. If the Chiefs do decide to trade away some WRs it will likely only be for a 7th round pick and it may be dependent on whether or not that player makes their team. Players who I see as possible trade bate include: Mecole Hardman (his trade value has never been higher), Kadarius Toney (his value has never been higher either but he’ll likely only garner a 7th round pick at best), and maybe an offensive lineman like Lucas Niang. He’s never done much for us here but he might have value to a team looking for a possible OT. A couple of other OL have walked away in the last two offseasons: guys like Andrew Wylie and Nick Allegretti. The Chiefs have an excellent OL coach in Andy Heck and his reputation makes our backup OL more valuable. Since were loaded on the OL, this seems like a possibility.
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What do you think?
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Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne
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