Kansas City Chiefs: 53-man roster predictions following first preseason game
Running Backs
Keep: Kareem Hunt, Spencer Ware, Damien Williams, Darrel Williams, Anthony Sherman
Cut: Charcandrick West, Kerwynn Williams
Brett Veach has made a point this offseason to bring in talent at the running back position. The Chiefs went through a struggle at the running back position when Spencer Ware went down with a season-ending injury last preseason.
Charcandrick West backed up Kareem Hunt last season, but there was a revolving door at the third running back. To ensure a talented backfield, Veach brought in Damien Williams, Kerwynn Williams, and UDFA rookie Darrel Williams.
Spencer Ware will be the second running back on the depth chart solidifying his spot after restructuring his contract to incentives during training camp. He’s a starting caliber running back that will thrive in a smaller role in 2018. The restructuring of his deal gave him a strong push over Charcandrick West as well.
West was the third down back for the Chiefs in 2018. While he was on the field for a good number of snaps last season, he failed to produce enough to keep around for his contract. He’s also sustained a concussion during training camp keeping him out of practice during a time he desperately needs to prove his worth.
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Damien Williams has been on fire during training camp and showed some real fire during the first preseason game against the Texans. He confirmed that he is a better runner than West while also proving he can provide protection in the passing game and be a weapon out of the backfield. Damien is my sure third running back for the 2018 season on a small deal.
Considering the injury history of the running backs for the Chiefs, I think they should keep four on the roster. Darrel Williams spent time at LSU backing up two solid running backs in Leonard Fornette and Darius Guice. While playing as a backup, he still put up good numbers and was powerful between the tackles runner. He reminds me a bit of Ware.
Anthony Sherman will remain on the roster as long as he wants to play in my opinion. While the Chiefs rarely use the fullback position, and will likely use less of it in the upcoming season, Sherman remains a household name and special teams workhorse. While Ware came into Kansas City as a fullback and could likely play the position in those limited snaps, it seems Kansas City will keep Sherman for another year.