41 is the Mic: Chiefs Roster Locks and Position Battles

it's time for 41 is the mic a weekly Chiefs podcast with Nick Jacobs of KSHB 41 and Matt Derek of Chief's digest 41 is the mic starts now yes everyone welcome back you are with 41 is the mic I am Matt Derek from Chiefs digest alongside new eras and tour Enthusiast Nick Jacobs hey Matt it's been a yeah hey Matt it's been a whole it's been a whole week since people have been able to listen to 41 as a mic it's been a whole week three almost three days I was just thinking this morning how glad I am that we back on a semi-regular schedule for a while that we don't have any practices that require some special episodes or ring ceremonies or anything like that we can just hit the Sunday Feed I can start my Sunday with you Nick and and have the beginning of a great week well it could be worse Matt I don't know how much worse but it could be worse so this is this is like the best way to start my week well man I I love the that full mentality without being I guess in Portugal with a the Star Quarterback or being in at wimbley with the star tight end they were hanging out with Tom Cruz and Hugh Grant and Ashton Kutcher there were a lot of lot of people in that uh in that that VIP tent that you knew their first and last name the question is you know when are we going to be doing a podcast talking about Travis Kel's role in what Tom Cruz movie well I mean you know I don't know if we should start today but I mean I've already started on you know on X about some you know some Tom gr Tom Cruz film opportunities that I think Travis would be great for involving Top Gun three or maybe one of the eight or nine or 10 Mission impossibl you know there are plenty there are plenty of opportunities so there's there's there's there's chances for Travis there really is well while the team is away and when I'm talking about team is away I mean pretty much everybody's away Nick I mean this time of year I mean and remember the Chiefs basically with the way that they ended up the ring ceremony have a about just a month off so it's a month until training camp less than a month now where we sit it is I guess by my number 723 days Nick until we head up to St Joe for the first time I will I will I'm not going to use numbers I'm gonna say it's definitely less than a month it's definitely less than a month I think fans are what Sunday the 21st 22nd somewhere around there Sunday um Sunday the 21st is the first day for fans and it's the first open day but you we'll hear from the rookies and the quarterbacks when they start checking into the dorms on the 16th and if I got to be there in the heat Nick that's when it counts for me oh no I'm not saying don't count it I will never say that to you um but we are working whereas everybody else is on vacation whether they're in Europe or on the beach with their kids I mean front office this is when everybody in the NFL coaches all get away for their last chance so um not a lot of bodies right now over at one Arrowhead Drive but we're working Nick and what are we working on this week we're working on looking at the cheese roster and where they sit right now after OTAs how they have come together what they look like heading into training camp um breaking down the position groups where the Chiefs are kind of strongest where they're maybe the weakest where the questions are um there's a lot of things I mean U I think there's some easy decisions at a couple places I actually have a 53 player roster that I will be that will be up and you'll be able to find the link to that in this video so if you want to go check out into what we're both talking about I think Nick you're gonna have a story as well about your roster breakdown at some point yes key wordss at some point at some point so we'll make sure the link goes into into the video here so you can find it um but let's just get kick started Nick let's talk about the offensive side of the football and I guess we can just start with the easiest position because quarterback probably doesn't require a whole lot of discussion it's it's definitely the position group I feel the best about yeah I mean you've only got obviously four guys um just for me personally I'm G to call it locks and locks and bubbles in my end you can do the the full 53 um but for me like locks obviously Patrick Mahomes and Carson Wentz like that's just obvious in that front the one that I'm going to be interested on is Chris uh Oken what what do they want to put him on the 53 and use that roster spot or do they try to stink him on practice squad what type of performance he has in the preseason I think is really going to be able to answer that about if they think a team will take him because of what he does in preseason or if they don't feel he would um and then book that they have as their fourth guy I think he's just trying I think his fate is determined by how where they end up putting Chris at if Chris is going to on practice squad then I don't think book will be on the practice squad but if Chris is on the 53 maybe book gets a practice squad opportunity so that's why that one's the easiest for me what about you Matt yeah same I mean I I I think there's you know old doen is absolutely one of those borderline candidates and it's certainly going to depend on what the Chiefs need to do at some other positions whether they think there's a concern they might lose him if they had to place him on waivers um there's no doubt I mean he's he's still has a lot of upside I think um he looked good last year's preseason I think he's continued to look better and better year by year and not that it's important but there is a factor he's been a really good practice squad scout team quarterback for them especially when um you think about how well the Chiefs did last year against some mobile quarterbacks you know part of it because old doen did a really good job of prepping them he played a lot of uh of the mobile guys at the Chiefs faced last year including Lamar in the playoffs and remember how well the the Chiefs defended him I mean that's you know having having a guy like Oken who can and throw the ball a little bit and run a little bit is a good guy to have so um let's see what happens I am of the philosophy like just like you are that's that's a pretty easy one Oken is a a borderline candidate but um unless he doesn't get swiped in a waiver claim at the at the end of the training camp I think he will be back with this team at least on the practice squad um go into the running back room Nick it's still not a large group because Chiefs have Whitted away a couple of names I mean they've they've let go of M Michael Kine um uh I'm now I'm starting to blank on the on the guy that I actually like Hassan Hall than Hassan Hall thank you very much I thought Hassan was actually looking pretty good but um Chiefs of part ways with him it's a Slimmer down room now but I still think there's a couple of you know interesting decisions and possibilities here how about you yeah I mean for me first PCO and Clyde toer those are your two locks those are the guys that should make it without a problem then the rest of it who the heck knows right now that's where when the pads come on that's where you'll start getting answers on that one because I mean for me I think bayy had the strongest OTAs in mini camp uh the underactive fre agion got out of TCU I think he had the strongest but Prince has the most you know the probably the most time invested in him from a coaching perspective and then signing him last year as an undrafted guy and then you obviously have Ingram who they got late last year what can he's more but I think a big bigger style running back size wise that you can definitely keep up with uh then ream it is the question mark You're not 100% sure what he will or won't be and every single one of those guys I think it generally comes down to how do they look when the shoulder pads come on from a pass protection perspective and then also the thing that the knock I have on Prince that would keep him from the 53 for me was that his pass protection struggled last year here and on top of that he always not more than more times than not he didn't seem to be able to break tackles it's just once somebody got either got a was able to grab his ankle or be able to kind of just get a hold of him he would just he fell forward most of the time he couldn't break contact and keep a run going so I think those were two of the biggest strikes against him last year so that's my question is has he improved on those two parts or not cuz if he hasn't then I don't see him on the 53 if he has then I think he becomes kind of the front runner for that but right now to me bayley's been the most consistent and shown before shoulder pads that what he is capable of so you have that aspect of and then uh steel I don't I mean we'll see what happens but I don't know if he's going to be on the roster as the fullback or if he's more of a practice squad guy because they're just she's based a lot on contact and and that won't come till training camp so we'll see how much he gets used on special teams how much he would be in as a fullback in the starting offense potentially with the ones and those those will answer that question on his status yeah I once again I mean I and my roster construction that I've got it it's based on what we've seen so far not what I think is going to happen on August 31st it it's based on what we've seen so far so things will definitely and can change I mean based on what we've seen thus far from my vantage point of a of a a you know depth chart breakdown generic Prince would be the number three running back right now and I've increasingly have L ree zamit making this team I mean I've got him in my my 53 right now um just because the way that the Chiefs keep using him in so many different ways and certainly the way that Dave to talks about him and is using him on special teams um that's it certainly seems like they're going to carve out a roster spot for him and and with L re zit I just I still would assume that he is not a player that the Chiefs would feel like hey if if you know a couple of guys go down in the game which has happened before at running back are you comfortable with him then you know playing the entire half of football as your only running back that I'm not sold on so that's why I think there's a possibility that you know that the Chiefs do keep four running backs now the question is going to be how do they handle that on game day and that could be an interesting question mark and of its own but uh I've I've I've got him keeping four right now with Prince and ruise zamit it's OT Bailey however is the most interesting guy in that room to watch he is somebody I think absolutely during training camp can make a push and if anybody's going to overtake take Prince for that spot I I think it's bayy um wide receiver was a really tough one for me and I I went through my first pass and my last change is one that I'm just assuming Nick that I'm going to save my my wide receivers is going to let let let them go with yours because I think people will probably like your group better everybody's gonna be mad at me when you hear what I did at the receiver group you might hey you might as well just rip the Band-Aid off now and go for that well I'm gonna utter utter a couple of words that I know the Chiefs friends were hoping not to hear again this year one is I had the Chiefs keeping seven receivers right now which I I know some people are saying hey if you have seven receivers again like last year you don't have any receivers not necessarily the case I mean there's four absolute locks for me Hollywood Brown Rashid rice Justin Watson Xavier worthy um niik Rio if he keeps playing the way he is when the pads come on is going to make himself a lock but right now I've got him in as as at least the number five I mean he could be I I wouldn't put move him ahead of anybody I mean if worthy is you know struggling with injuries I mean if if Watson you know slows down a step maybe he does move up I you know no no no but right now i' at least have him in a number five I mean and hey somebody else could overtake him I mean it is that close it's razor thin there but I also have the chiefs sticking around with Sky Moore and caderas Tony and on my first pass I didn't because I had them you know leaving one of these guys off but just just trying to dig into the way that that Brett Vach and Andy Reid view things I'm still just not sold that they're ready to walk away from either one of those players and and walking away from Tony hey I get it it's not a big big contract number it's only like2 and a half million dollars but his entire contract is guaranteed this year and are you just willing to light that on fire without seeing if you can get anything from him on special teams or in just the a gadget role where he's been successful uh but I still I mean obviously injuries can play into this and injuries have been a problem with with caderas Tony um but I think that if the chief whether the Chiefs keeps six or seven I have six players five players really I mean Nico I'm moving out of that category right now he's kind of in his own own situation but I would have more tony micle Hardman Justin Ross and Montell Washington in kind of the bubble for that maybe one or two spots um Cornell Powell I'm assuming that the Cornell Powell outstanding play of OTAs uh will continue until the pads come on and then we'll start to see him kind of fade back again I mean it's not a knock on Cornell it's just seen the movie too many times U I'm going to assume that it's going to end the same way but he would be at the top of the next list but that's how at least I've got it right now I don't feel comfortable I mean this is not one that I it's not like quarterback I'm saying that's 100% how it might look the receiver room's got a lot of wiggle room and a lot of things that could happen between now and beginning of September yeah I think for the most part at the wi receiv receiver room like brown right worthy Watson those are your four locks those are the ones that you're you're you know you're going to be going with on the 53 minus any injury happening during training camp or preseason after that I I have Hardman kind of on that at that number five spot potentially because of I I think part of it is what hardman's benefit is for them he knows the offense he knows most of the offense and I think that he could fill in if he needed to for brown or worthy and I think with Worthy's hamstring issue I think that's why mccole got brought in when he did and also with kader Tony not being there I think that's another reason he was also brought in so between those two things and them not knowing what the when the rice thing will happen in terms of resolution and you just you know you don't know when the league may decide they want to do something if it's before or after you know that goes through the legal system so then you have mcole Harman becomes part of your insurance so then I just I think he he answers a lot of questions when you're looking at situations and circumstances so I think that's why more than likely you have him I understand there's an option to put him on practice squad and everything and I I get that but I just I don't if the guy solves three to if the guy can answer three to five situations for you I just don't think you want to take that risk of another team being like you know what yeah no we'll take a chance it's just it just doesn't seem like the way the Chiefs approach that doesn't mean that they won't I'm just saying it's just it' go against the grain of what I think they do um then Rio I feel like is right right behind right behind that and like you said as long as he can continue to translate what he did from OTAs a mini camp and shoulder pads when he's getting jammed at the line and is able to get off the releases run good routes and be able to catch the ball cleanly like he do like he did from all three quarterbacks and that's that's the biggest thing I have for him is every single quarterback look comfortable throwing him the football all three of them and to have a receiver who seems to mesh with every single one of those quarterbacks that's a really big thing to where whether he works with the one two or three like that may be one of the safety blankets for you know no matter if there's a situation where each quarterback has to come in like he helps make that happen so I just I think that that's a very undervalued part of why he would be appealing um after that I think I I just have Tony Moore and Ross grouped together to where I think they'll give cadarius tony every chance to succeed and I think they'll if I were in their shoes I would showcase him in preseason and see if there's a trade available to potentially move him and you know move that money um and then with Sky Moore I just I think Sky Moore is going to be really dependent on what they decide to do with micle Hardman or rigio and I think that's gonna kind of answer a sky Moore question there and Ross I think is just I think he's purely based on what numbers they have left at that point because for the most part I I mean I'll say this like when he's out on the field when he was out on the field with Mahomes at times Mahomes would look but like you know Mahomes is typically going to throw the ball somewhere else with the other options he had available so I mean there just wasn't a lot of connection there during those practices and then I just he has a better he has a better connection with Wentz and uh I don't remember how much he worked with uh with Chris so I mean he I saw him with every single one of the quarterbacks and I'm like his best connection was with Wentz and there were circumstances and situations where he could throw him a touchdown for the most part um but it it depended on when he was working with momes it depended on a lot of the receivers being gone that day so like you know like it just I don't know if he's going to get a ton of work with Patrick and I just don't know if like the the routes where he's strong at is what Patrick likes to throw on a routine basis so I just I think the tight end position and I think I think Jared wy's going to be a big part of like why Ross may not get the same kind of play that he would have the year before yeah and I'm glad you you talked about Harden in that way because you know between with with Mo and Tony it wasn't a slam dunk for me to just say those two guys without including mle Hardman I mean I would have I I'd SA say it was those three players for the last one or two spots with some other guys also obviously in the mix too but you're right I mean the makeup of that room as far as the Styles and the sizes I mean the composition I mean you've got to try and make it all work and injuries could absolutely play into that I mean if if worthy is not healthy or somebody else gets dinged up in anything you feel like you need some insurance maybe you go a different direction and and there was a connection to me between receiver and tight end going in into our next group because when I added a seventh receiver it meant I couldn't keep four tight ends now so I'm I have three tight ends but I'm I'm guessing you and I have the tight end room stacked almost identically which would be obviously your your goat all time you know Travis Kelce is your starter um Jared Wy Noah gray will be your backups I'm guessing you probably have Earth Smith on the roster right now but would be your four guy Baylor cup is the the guy that you want to see more of that there's upside and Garrett Prince is is is there just in case yeah um yeah I mean you're spot on the first three because they got Kelsey Wy and uh gray in that order and I Wy may not be the guy that gets a ton of the Reps early on in training camp and they may let him get comfortable and everything but I think once they're well end the season I think Wy is going to have a steady rise the entire time and and how glowingly Travis Kelce talked about him on the new heights podcast C was similar to what you and I had been saying for weeks on end about what he was doing out there and to hear Travis kind of validate what both you and I have kind of said and thought I was like well at least I'm not crazy so um so that was good on that front and yeah I just I think wy's just a he's a different type of tight end than what they've had there to where he he's the best of both worlds in terms of size and athletic ability and I just don't think the Chiefs have had a tight end like him since Travis has been here here because of the lot of the guys they had here they were always trying to develop from basketball Wy they don't have to they don't have to do the you know the learning curve of developing like I just I think he's already passed the dri Harris and the Ross travises of the world and the jod foron who had to develop with that over time and it I mean they both all all of them collectively had their their Pros but it's just wy's already passed all that and so it's just more about him getting comfortable in the offense and learning from Kelsey and getting comfortable with where Mahomes wants the football or where Wentz wants to put the football and I just I think that's what where he's at um herb Smith I don't have as a lock right now I just I don't know what what they're going to do from a running back perspect perspective are they keeping four or they keeping five receiver wise they keeping four I mean excuse me they keeping five or six or seven and then I think that determines what they do at tight end IR Smith is more than capable of making the roster and being the fourth guy it's just a matter of for me kind of what where do the numbers there's the one number I'm trying to guess is who's the where's the extra number at like I said is it running back wide receiver tight end or o line or running back or wide receiver o line to help with the tight end or not and then the Baylor cup I I would put on practice squad because there's a lot to work with there and there but there's also a lot of unknown and then Prince is kind of like you said like he knows the scheme he's worked in the scheme long enough now to where he could be a quality practice squad player if they want him yeah he's he's well versed in the system local kid too so nothing not to root for there um it's just a very talented group I mean Chiefs have got a lot of guys and and Baylor cup has been a nice little find so um be interested to see him play a little bit more uh offensive line was a really tough one for me and you know mostly because of numbers I mean I think that the to me the probably depth chart is fairly straight forward it's just how many are you going to keep how many are you going to protect I kept a lot Nick I'm kind of interested to see how your Stacks up and see how where you draw the line about how many offensive linemen the Chiefs might need to keep so initially I have nine right now I could see it going to 10 so for me obviously uh I'm just going to do it in order it's not by best of worse um just in order I got W Morris Joe tuni Creed Humphrey Trey Smith Jawan Taylor Kingsley Hunter orad Lucas Nang and cendo so those are the ones that I think are kind of should for the most part be locks on the roster Hansen I think it's really a question of what he does in training camp and preseason about if he needs to stay on the practice squad or if they think he could be a quality uh 10th guy and that may be where the number affects what happens to tight end wide receiver running back is if Hansen is a guy that they want to keep on the act of 53 godri I think is still kind of battling for a spot and I think that really kind of comes down to what can he I know he can I know he he's had to work at left tackle and right tackle so I think he's had that and I think that works in his favor um and then Driscoll is a guy that I really think is going to be on their practice squad and be a developmental guy um I think that that's kind of how that how that works out but I've got nine with I think three others competing for a 10th spot right now and two of those guys being tackles and one being an interior because I mean right now you've got on on what I've got you've got three four you got five guys that can play interior so you bring bring a six in are you bringing another tackle that can kind of potentially swing or develop that's really kind of the question headed into Camp yeah I we have we have the structur ex identical I mean as far as how the depth chart is stacked and I feel like it's pretty obvious I mean as far as especially the Chiefs have been you know rolling through OTAs I don't think there's a whole lot of surprises um Chu godri is the international designation so there is some protections there the Chiefs can keep him on the practice squad even if uh because I don't believe a team can even claim him off waivers when they do the cut down off the exemption so um there's a little bit of wiggle room there um question to me and I I went ahead and kept 10 because I I just I think the Chiefs are going to want to keep CJ Hansen um even though he's a late round pick you know I've I've seen enough I mean we need to see more to make sure there not you know fool's gold or anything like that I mean I think there's enough upside there to continue to protect him and to keep him and that's the challenge I mean if you're the Chiefs and you're looking towards next year when you certainly feel like there's a possibility you might have to replace two of your interior players well you feel pretty good if one of those is Hunter NORAD is replacing them then but then is it Mike cendo or would you rather have Hansen around to the two to be potentially either you know competition or the starter in one of those spots or at least your your backup behind you know that starting line so I feel like that that's the only reason I've got you know Hansen as as my 10th guy because I think that you have that need to have that protection um but not 100% there um Kendo is he might be close I'd probably put him in the 90% category because she do seem to have a lot of faith in him the question I have is going to be I mean because the guy who's not a guaranteed spot for me is Lucas NE and you know and there's been a lot of positive talk about Ethan Driscoll I mean if if they feel like Ethan Driscoll's for real and you can save a little bit of money and this is a a player who obviously is reasonably healthy supposedly I mean at this point in his career and and and an upwardly improving player and you've gotten yangang who's been coming off a hip surgery you know coming into the league then you added on to the patella attendant I mean he came back from that but it's just what is Lucas neang I mean is he is he somebody who can be that swing tackle play on the left side right side if you need them to I don't know and I mean you're just asking to be the fourth tackle with W on there so if if Ethan Driscoll could be your fourth tackle where where do you sit that's that's a tough one for me so I mean I I would assume that Lucas and the Yang will make this team and be one of those guys but it's not a slam dunk and obviously neither's the Chiefs keeping 10 I mean n or 10 I think is a reasonable number but your mileage may vary Nick there it is I knew you you were just waiting for it no buddy all right let's swing over to the defensive side where the defensive line for me was even tougher than offensive line um there I I I can't I cannot make heads or sense heads or tails makes sense heads or tails makes my metaphors Matthew very very good I'm a professional writer everyone um the outside of the top six players on the defensive line it's wide open to me I mean and how many players that the Chiefs could keep seven eight nine they've kept crazy 10 before I don't think it's going to be that crazy but there's a lot of question marks Nick yes there is yeah uh for me I'm Chris Jones is gonna be one lock George carlotus another fix and uzama Mike Dana um I have Mike panel on here right now but I could see them being like you've talked about before like there's there's an opportunity to where maybe maybe he goes to practice squad if you need that I just have too many question marks now to not have a world where Mike penel may not be a part of the Chiefs right now and then ton Warton I think those are the guys that you would be comfortable with on a roster now the question I have is how n Derek nauy performs coming back from the elbow arm injury and how he can how he can do there uh Neil frell will see what he can do as a one Tech um love it is another guy I'm intrigued by to see what he could potentially be I just I don't I have no idea yet cuz the shoulder pad's not being on that will answer a lot of questions once that happens though about the D line I think that'll give us a ton of clarity um hering seems like a guy that's probably going to be on the roster and just simply because of Versatility and where they can put him at all over the defensive line but I just don't think he's going to be a guy that kind of stands out and gives you B Big Flash moments um Dickerson just a you know just guy that's kind of honestly kind of there for the most part um BJ Thompson who knows what you know until you have that Health thing answered like you just you don't know what that status is going to be overall until you get those questions answered a minu I wonder if he'll be on the PVP list to start out and to give him time to get back up to 100% and what they do there and then uh Jones I'm still the other Jones I'm not sure about in terms of what Truman can or can't be along that defensive line so that's why I I put who I did and so in that one I've only got six that I'm sure about for the most part and then the question is who's the other defensive tackle or defensive end that they want to have in that group because right now I've only got technically three defensive tackles and kind of three defensive ends yeah and then and I have it very similar I mean I've got of my six locks I I have tan Wharton as one of the six and and I have panel as a projected practice squad player for this reason only I mean I and I had a chance to talk to him for a few minutes after because he was one of the panelist at the discussion about technology and um tradition uh last week at the lindal library and uh it was a really interesting discussion if you haven't seen that you should search it out and check it out it's a really fascinating discussion I should I'll put the link for that in the in the YouTube video as well um but Mike said that you know because I I I said to him that I was kind of surprised he signed so quickly and didn't take a veteran prerogative to you know Skip uh you know OTAs and everything and maybe wait things out a little bit and he said it was really important to him that he wanted to be here through the entire process that he didn't want to be working on his own and everything that if the Chiefs wanted him back this year in a similar role that he wanted to be here the entire time and remember I mean as a veteran he's got you know contract prerogative when when they when they cut down players he doesn't go on waivers he becomes a free agent that can sign anywhere and Mike pel doesn't really doesn't want to go anywhere I mean he wants to be in KC but he's 33 years old so I mean I think you saw the best of Mike penel last year and you saw it because he was limited until the really just late in the season into the postseason and and kind of saved him up um I joked during the offseason Nick that that's what would do I I I would just I'd tell Mike panel during free agency I would said I'd just say Mike we're going to sign you to the practice squad don't worry about it go to Texas you know hang out work out and everything like that November 1st you're back up here um pretty clear you know hey Mike wants to be here with this team and so if that means you know keeping him on the around right this time of year so he can work out and stay fresh and everything great but I don't think you want Mike pel have play 20 or 21 games so you know that's why to me the the ideal way to manage him um the load management was a great discussion the other night Nick about analytics and the load management would say with Mike panel you need to back off of him and just save him for the important half of the Season okay well let's say you do that who who are your defensive tackles um I mean Neil frell and Fabian LoveIt would be my three four will be my four and five guys after you after Jones nauy and ton Wharton defensive ends the same way I mean fourth defensive end is Malik Herring and I don't think there's any change to that I mean unless you go out and bring in a veteran and that's because you know I'm assuming a minu like you will start on the pop list I can't imagine a scenario where he won't um it would defy All Odds if he didn't start training camp on the pup list but that would at least at least change the equation I think once the season starts and he you know his return becomes more of a possibility but yeah and I don't know about BJ Thompson is that a guy that you're considering for pop list as well we don't know I mean it's great that he's made the recovery we got to see him at the ring ceremony but that's an unknown and there are so many and there was at least one thing that we saw during the mini camp Nick that I don't know if it was just because of a numbers thing or you know one of those things that the Chiefs like with flexibility but nil farell lined up a couple times outside and maybe that is a third down package look maybe that's something that they want to see you know if he can do that and kick outside but if he's got that Malik herring's got that you know versatility I mean those are guys that you could keep around for those reasons um bat Dickerson obviously is another guy I mean he's just cleared waivers this off season so I think that's another player if you a veteran if you wanted to keep him on the practice squad you could um I don't know what the Chiefs are going to do with Isaiah bugs I'm not even sure if the Chiefs know what they're going to do with Isaiah bugs yet we'll see him and St Joe were not but I don't think he's a serious part of the conversation right now but that I left his name off the list for reason in that front yeah um going into linebackers this is a rich group Nick and and and I did something stupid here or at least not necessarily stupid but maybe against my own logic okay because I I did two things on defense that are maybe against my own logic because we're talking about the kickoff rules and maybe needing to keep an extra linebacker maybe even an extra safe to get some bigger a athletes and everything that can play on on this on the new kickoff coverages and then I didn't really do that I mean I kept five linebackers and four safeties and that's I mean I didn't really keep an extra one in either one of them Nick yeah I mean for me there's there's three 100% for sure tranquil Bolton Chanel those are the three that I'm 100% sure on after that I mean conran seems to have kind of a grasp of being the Green Dot of needed from last year so you kind of see if there's anybody that can kind of take his position um Jacobs Curtis jobs who knows right now Christensen probably a little bit slower but can play special teams Jones I'm not sure about and then Washington and Boseman no idea about so I mean you have three that you know what you're getting from 100% Cocker could potentially be a fourth you know what you're getting from but until I see all the other guys I don't know where they're going to be at from a ranking perspective and what but if there are guys that can play special teams and make a big impact then I think they all kind of raised themselves up more than other years to where they could be used on kick return in a way that maybe they couldn't have in years past yeah I mean I'll admit I'm pretty bullish on cam Jones um I was before week 18 last year but he had what 11 tackles in that game he was pretty spectacular and he wasn't healthy at the beginning of the Season that was you know one of the things that challenged his roster bid last year um I'm I'm pretty bullish on him so I've got him as one of my 53 I'm with you though I mean um Cole christensen's an experienced guy that's somebody who could you know whether it's a practice squad position anything else I mean he he's versatile enough to be able to he could make the team might make the team but he could still be around Curtis Jacobs has looked impressive but I need to see more but he's somebody I would absolutely keep on the practice squad um those would be the two guys that I have out right now I would I have Cam Jones and Jack Cochran on for exactly the reasons that you said with Cochran for sure I mean he's got three position versatility not the fastest guy in the world but he's pretty reliable so he can do a lot of things for you and obviously special teams are a big part of that and then yeah Washington and Boseman are just complete unknowns they're kind of in the mix for me I think it would be tough to see either one of them Mak a making a move because I I do think that the Chiefs are reasonably deep here I mean I think that they've got seven players for sure that they trust it's just a matter of you know a couple of like Jacob's being able to prove himself once the pads come on uh cam Jones backing up what he did last year but if that's the case I mean that's a reasonably deep group Nick all just for the record anybody with the last name Jacobs is gonna prove themselves without a problem that is true I cannot dispute that that is an undeniable fact of life just just put that out there well let's move into the secondary and don't know if you have your separated out by corners and safeties I do yeah so that'll be the easiest way for us to do it then let's dive into the corners um this was another one that's tough for me Nick because I I'm not sure about three players that I have on my 53 and I'm definitely not sure why I left three players off my 53 I mean there's nine players that I like for this team and you can't keep nine Corners obviously yeah um yeah so for me I'll go McDuffy Williams Watson na Johnson and Nick Jones so I mean those those are the five that I'm like hey long as there's no injuries those those are the guys that I think are going to make the roster now the next question I have is Cal Kamal hen um what he if he can find his way on as a six guy or can uh Kelvin Joseph find his way on there those are the ones uh those are the ones that I'm I'm kind of like either one of those guys could potentially be the six if they're wanting to keep a sixth Corner then Eko Echo boo I think you're kind of looking at maybe maybe six maybe practice squad uh Taylor battle Roland Wallace and Miller all guys that I think for the most part are kind of battling for potential practice squad roster spots but I I think at the end of the day the the battle is really kind of coming down to Kamal um Haden Joseph and Echo Boo for potentially six spot yeah I I'm once again I mean we're we're very similar here my my top five are the same mcdf and Williams nazy Johnson Nick Jones Jaylen Watson Watson's the one I have the most concern about I don't have him as a complete and total lock I mean like I said he'd be in my top five right now but I'd have him at number five um he didn't take the step forward I think last year that the chiefs were hoping that he would take some of those guys do it in year three he obviously had a really impressive rookie season but you watch what has happened and Josh Williams has moved a pet of him I mean I think it's pretty clear at this point that Josh Williams is ahead of him um nazy Johnson I think will be ahead of him I mean Jaylen we didn't get to see at the end of OTAs because he did have an injury so that's another X Factor there um hadn't I I have the chiefs going ahead and keeping him as a six for now because I just you know with a I'm going to give deference to the draft pick that you're going to protect the draft pick but you know Eco boido ended the season on the 53 last year because some teams did come calling I mean there were there was some interest in signing him away so you know you probably would lose him off waivers um maybe a kelv Joseph and a Keith Taylor you wouldn't because they've been around but they looked really impressive if they fit in Steve bolo scheme maybe they are guys that are worth keeping I mean I can definitely see them making their case and again maybe those are guys that you can sneak onto the practice squad if needed or at least one of them um I'm I'm interested to I I don't I don't have him as having a really solid chance to make the roster because I think right now he's the 10th quarterback on the list but I'm really intrigued with miles battle size I mean I kind of want to see when the pads come on what what he can do cuz that's a developmental player that that I would like to see make at least make the practice squad um safety I'm assuming is a pretty easy conversation Nick because I I think we probably have I only count six safeties on this team yeah which kind of surprises me I mean I'm surprised that you know that and maybe the Chiefs are considering you know maybe somebody kind of a dual role I mean especially because we're including Jamari Connor is one of the six safeties and the dude plays Corner half the time MH yeah that's where I think it'll get interesting to where do they keep 11 defensive backs or do they keep 10 so do they keep you know six corners and four safeties or do they keep five corners and five safeties um and how they or do they get crazy and keep you know a six corner backs and five safeties I don't know who the heck knows but I I am intrigued by that part of it so yeah obviously I got obviously Justin Reed Brian Cook Jamari Conor and Jaden Hicks like those guys are boring injuries those guys are going to be at least your four safeties the qu the question becomes with bush and Dean so with Deon Bush he's somebody who they like they favor to put on practice squad because of how well he can do on special teams so I will say this if special teams did drop off I don't I think they would devel they would put somebody else in the developmental role but bush has been reliable for him and been able to be a practice squad guy so I just feel like that's going to be the same thing over again um Dean will be interesting just because once the pads do come on and he can truly actually hit people we will see what type of enforcer he can be uh and how much he potentially wants to hit his teammates and this isn't a knock on him I'm just saying he came very close to where he was buzzing a lot of towers during a OTAs and mini camp and uh that'll be that'll be what his uh potential reputation will be is uh how how much he likes to hit in training camp or does he back off because they're his teammates and does he showcase that in preseason I think that's just the kind of the biggest question overall on that front yeah Trey Trey Dean plays like his hairs on fire and you got to like that yeah um so if if healthy he's a guy that absolutely is going to be interesting and and even though I I like I said I kind of underminded myself earlier when I said that hey going into this exercise you know with the kick return rule idea being that maybe you keep an extra linebacker keep an extra safety there's arguably a very easy way that the Chiefs could actually still do this from the practice squad which is if a a Dion Bush a Trey Dean a Cole christens and a Curtis Jacob are on the practice squad I mean there's 12 activations right there Nick that you can bring up an extra safety or a linebacker and have him play special teams um you know that's three quarters of the season right there almost so you could cover that um you know there's there's and the Chiefs have shown you know they're willing to use the practice squad in that way to store some special teams players they're not on the 53 but they're going to be around um you know Dion bush is another guy veteran doesn't have to clear waivers I think it's pretty clear that he's comfortable in Kansas City winning rings and you know cashing some checks so I don't know if he would be going anywhere so that's a guy that and the Chiefs pretty lucky in that sense I mean they've got some guys that are veterans that they can do that with that you know if they need a roster they've shown it even during the offseason they need a roster spot for a couple of days hey we're going to release you but we're going to bring you right back so don't worry about it um but yeah i' I've got stack up the exact same way you do Trey Dean is absolutely the player to watch for me uh Deon Bush there break glass in case of emergency um if he's you need an injury he can he can step right in and be there for you be on the 53 even um but I expect he's going to be on the practice squad and be around and be ready for the postseason especially on special teams um specialist well there's no drama now Nick I I thought we were GNA have some punter drama but no as of now there is no punter drama because the Chiefs only have three Specialists they have a kicker Harrison buter they have a punter in mat Risa and they have a Long Snapper in James Winchester the only really training camp battle to watch I guess will be kickoff specialist and how much Justin Reed and if Luis Reed zamon ever gets a kick I expect them both to get kicks but based on what Dave to's saying well I guess rather based on what Justin Reed's saying is Justin Reed going to be the kickoff specialist and Harrison bucker going to back him up I don't know we'll find out cuz I mean Reed's got to play a whole bunch of other snaps on defense as well so his legs might be a little little worn out at times you know I I I mean Justin's a very likable player I mean obviously he's a very smart dude I mean he's he's one of those guys that you just absolutely I think love to have it on a locker room and love to have on a football team and the fact that you know he's talking about you know the the new kickoff rule extending his career cuz you know he's like hey when when his leg starts to go and everything and slows down a little bit he can still be a fourth safety that can play special teams fact that you that says a lot right there about Justin Reed because there's a lot of guys in the NFL who would say yeah by the time I'm a force safety I'm gonna my butt's out of here I'm not gonna be playing football Justin Reed loves football I mean that's that's pretty clear and when he says something like that I mean I think that tells you all you need to know about him as a football player yeah the only question will be is you will to take a for safety salary at that point he might have to look it up and real you know see what the veteran minimum is but I'm just saying that'll that'll come at some point in his career and is he okay with what he what he made during the premium years as a one or two safety are there any final thoughts or any final Reflections you have on on how the roster stands right now where maybe you think the the toughest decisions are what you're watching for once we do get the camp um I I would say Obviously the receiver is going to be the most popular everybody's going to know how many are they keeping who are the final guys they're keeping for me I'm intrigued to kind of find out at D line and linebacker what they end up doing those are kind of the bigger ones for me that I think I would be nice to have a lot more clarity on and it'll make easier in terms of what they do roster wise cornerback you're really just looking at are you keeping a six guy and if you are keeping a six guy who is it and it's safe are you keeping a fifth guy and if you are who is it tight end I think you've got a pretty good idea running back I think you're only looking at one or two questions quarterback you're not really looking at much and o line you're not looking at much but I think what you do at dline linebacker those are going to be who's going to set themselves apart in those regards I think that's going to be the most interesting thing because when I count it up 41 of 53 I have as kind of locks for me and that's just without the shoulder pad portion of it so with the shoulder pad portion of it you know I think you'll get a I think it'll be probably for both of us it'll be within probably two or three guys potentially that will really kind of be asking at the end who can push themselves in that regard but I mean as you and I both know for the most part at training camp coaching staff's probably pretty sure on like 48 of the 53 you're just kind of looking at 49 you know 49 and on about who's going to be those final final four to five guys that can potentially make this roster and have the special team's ability to make the roster so I think the Chiefs are probably they're further along um in terms of what they think but I mean for me shoulder pads are going to be The Equalizer to be able to answer a lot of what I have questions on yeah I think that you know I I started looking at this for me from a um kind of a college basketball perspective Nick I was looking at it like who are the four guys that I you know were on the borderline you know it's on the cusp most for that I put on my 53 and who were the last ones that I took off I mean obviously I mean really easy one to point to is IR Smith you know I had him on my 53 and took him off so he was he's one of my last four out Nick um and then you know Sky Moore and and and canaras Tony would be in that next one of the last four in um my other last my other last four are interesting because you know two of them Malik Kring and Lucas Nang were in that kind of last group of this discussions um but I also had Jaylen Watson in there because I just have some concerns and and I think that the Chiefs have obviously the Dave mer voiced some of those concerns too um I mean if I were making a a potential trade list if you're talking about the Chiefs you know trading from a position that they have a lot of depth at and you know trying to find either make you know pick up more draft picks which Brett fe's always want to toward draft picks or trying to make a move I mean I think everybody on that list except for Malik King and and Kadarius Tony I don't know they would have a ton of trade value I think they have value to the Chiefs but I'm not sure anybody else would be willing to give them up for them I think there's some teams that might think that they could fix Sky more so I think that there would still be some upside to him Jaylen Watson I think would have some upside because I think some teams would say wait a minute he had a really good rookie year you know we're short Corners that's a talented kid and and Jaylen Watson does I mean clearly has a lot of talent it's just you know where he fits into the room and especially with the depth that the Chiefs have there so those were kind of my last four my other last four out in addition to IR Smith was mle Hardman Eko Boo and and Kelvin Joseph um I mean all four of those could absolutely be on the roster I mean I could weak into to OT to week into to training camp I could change my mind on all four of those guys and have them on the roster I think it's just that close I mean I went through and counted and I didn't come I didn't remember my exact number but I had about six 61 62 players I think that I had kind of in the group of could you know arguably make this roster pretty easily so there's a lot of decisions for this team to make I mean it's it's even though I don't think that there's a ton of position battles as far as starting positions goes there's going to be a ton of position battles for the backup roles and who's going to be filling out like you had you know the last 12 roster spots they're up for grabs time with tell Matt and we've got less than a month until we start being able to figure it out time indeed will tell well we're going to be back on your feeds in various places mostly on YouTube though on Tuesday night with the Q&A and always appreciate Nick coming over to help out with that you know we didn't talk about the stadium I know that's been the big news this week didn't talk about the stadium in today's episode we talked about it a lot last Tuesday uh you can go back and listen to that on YouTube on the Chiefs digest YouTube channel if not I am sure it's going to come up again this Tuesday so if you got some questions bring them um if you've got hey you got your own roster thoughts put them into the comments send us your questions um bring if you've got some questions about our roster breakdown bring them Tuesday night we'll be glad to answer them and talk about them more in depth um but with that Nick yeah for those that are wondering what we're going to do next week on 41 as a mic it'll be back out on Sunday at it's regular scheduled time um and what we're going to do topicwise on that is the key moves that made the Chiefs who they are today since 2013 so we review Andy Reid's tenure here what moves the organization had to make that helped them um be able to go to Six consecutive AFC championship games help them win three Super Bowls and the foundation that was built by Andy Reid and his staff to be able to help make that all happen and the continuity that's been able to come from it and why so that will be that we'll see if any competitors do it in advance than us um but we have revealed that part of next week's 41 as the mic I think it'll be very interesting for some people to go to Memory Lane and to disagree or agree with what we put in our rankings is the things that help make all of this happen to where you have such an interest in the Chiefs so you say rankings are we gonna do like our own top 10 maybe I don't know you how decide after we get done okay with this I'm I'm I'm looking forward to this this is going to be a lot of fun so uh definitely you want to be back here next week for that so uh once again appreciate all of you as always hit the buttons hit the likes hit the retweets hit the hit everything that you got um if you could leave us hey we would appreciate you leaving us a five star review on the podcast because that does help people if you want to leave less than a five star review I guess I would request that you don't do that but um it's a free country you may do anything that you want to but if you would be so kind if we're inclined to do that and left a festar review for us at at iTunes and anywhere else you can leave a festar review Nick I mean we would just appreciate it it would help other people find the podcast and uh we always want people to find the podcast yes so it helps us it helps us rise in searches every time you do that whether it's on YouTube or apple uh podcast or anywhere we are Shameless and need the attention so you're just being each one of you is just being a Sherpa that helps guide other cheese fans to another podcast love be that be that internet Sherpa be the sherpa I'm that's how I'm going to end it be the sherpa all right so until next time I bet you do you've been listening to 41 is the mic presented by KSHB 41 your home of the Chiefs and Chiefs Digest [Music] see