Chiefs' Projected Winners of Key Position Battles

The Kansas City Chiefs didn't look much like themselves as they dropped their preseason opener to the Chicago Bears on Saturday, falling 19-14. That's because they didn't give their starters much playing time in the first exhibition contest of the summer.

Patrick Mahomes went 6-for-7 for 60 yards and a touchdown, while Clyde Edwards-Helaire (two rushes for 6 yards) and Travis Kelce (one catch for 19 yards) didn't get many touches. Mahomes' TD pass was a 5-yard first-quarter strike to tight end Blake Bell.

Kansas City's starters may not have gotten many snaps, but there were some players on the field trying to battle for roster spots or perhaps even win starting jobs. This is a crucial time of the year, as the Chiefs will need to trim their roster to 53 players before their regular-season opener against the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 11.

Here's a look at where several key position battles in Kansas City's training camp currently stand, along with projected winners for each.

Rookie Darian Kinnard, a fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft, was expected to have an opportunity to compete for the starting job at right tackle during training camp. But he needed to prove that he was a better option than Andrew Wylie, who has mostly played at the guard spots over his first four NFL seasons, all with the Chiefs.

But Wylie and Kinnard aren't the only players getting reps at right tackle in camp. According to Herbie Teope of the Kansas City Star, Roderick Johnson and Geron Christian have gotten time at the position. So it hadn't been decided early who would be starting on the far right side.

"This is the stage where you’re always trying to get a look at certain players to see what they can do and how do they handle [it] when placed in that situation," Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy recently said, per Teope.

However, as Teope noted, Wylie has the "inside track" to be Kansas City's starting right tackle, as he was with the starters to open camp. The 27-year-old has also made 42 starts during his time with the Chiefs, including seven at right tackle last season.

So as long as Wylie remains healthy and continues to fare well, he should be one of Kansas City's five starting offensive linemen to open 2022.

Projection: Andrew Wylie starts at right tackle

When Ronald Jones signed with Kansas City over the offseason, many thought he'd be coming in to compete with Edwards-Helaire for the starting RB job. However, that has been far from the case in camp, during which it's become clear that Edwards-Helaire remains the Chiefs' starting running back.

Not only that, but Jones is still trying to prove he should make the team. While Edwards-Helaire is a lock, Jones is among a crowded backfield mix competing for a roster spot along with Jerick McKinnon, Isiah Pacheco and Derrick Gore, with the latter suffering a neck injury during the preseason opener.

Pacheco, a seventh-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft, has impressed throughout the summer, and the rookie could end up as one of the breakout players of camp. That's cut into the workload for Jones, although he's expected to get more time on the field soon.

"Some days he gets more than other days, but he’s taking advantage of the chances he’s getting and working hard," Kansas City head coach Andy Reid recently told the media. "So he’ll have a chance to play. We’ll just see how he does."

If the Chiefs keep four RBs, then Jones and Pacheco could both make the roster. But it wouldn't be a total surprise if that wasn't the case. And at this point, it seems Pacheco has a leg up in the battle.

Projection: Jerick McKinnon and Isiah Pacheco earn backup RB spots

There are four wide receivers who are locks to make the Chiefs' roster: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Mecole Hardman and rookie Skyy Moore. Then, Kansas City will need to decide if it will carry five or six WRs on its roster. And it's clear which three receivers are competing for those one or two spots.

Josh Gordon, Daurice Fountain and Justin Watson are battling for backup WR roles for the Chiefs, and any of the trio could potentially end up on the roster. Among that group, Watson had the best showing during the preseason opener, leading the team with five catches for 45 yards and a touchdown.

Watson spent the past four seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he didn't get much playing time. He's looking to beat out Gordon, who played 12 games for the Chiefs last season in his return from an indefinite suspension he had received from the NFL, and Fountain, who spent much of last year on Kansas City's practice squad.

Gordon put up big numbers early in his career, but he didn't make much of an impact for the Chiefs in 2021. And he also isn't likely to contribute much on special teams, something that both Fountain and Watson could do.

Because of that, Gordon will be the odd man out, even if Kansas City carries six receivers.

Projection: Daurice Fountain and Justin Watson earn backup WR spots