3 Chiefs Players Who Won’t Make the 53-Man Roster

The preseason has come and gone and now we turn our attention to cut day and the regular season. NFL teams have to trim their rosters to 53 players by tomorrow, so we’ll see a ton of players and preseason standouts find new homes in the coming days.

Brett Veach’s impressive drafting and talent acquisition has given the Chiefs a deep roster, and simple math means some fan favorites won’t make the final cut.

Let’s look at three players I don’t expect to make the 53-man roster.

3 Chiefs Players Who Won’t Make the 53-Man Roster

1. Ihmir Smith-Marsette

The former fifth-round wide receiver had an excellent preseason, catching nine passes for 195 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He’s got Chiefs fans clamoring to keep an additional receiver so he can make the team, and he’s done more than enough to show he belongs on an NFL roster.

Smith-Marsette is an impressive blocker as well, notably freeing space for La’Mical Perine to score on a screen pass.

Unfortunately for the former Iowa Hawkeyes standout, the Chiefs just have too many bodies at the position to feel comfortable projecting a roster spot. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore, Rashee Rice, Richie James, Kadarius Toney, Justin Watson, and Justyn Ross all seem ahead of Smith-Marsette, and NFL teams typically only keep six or seven receivers.

Nonetheless, I expect someone to pick up Smith-Marsette. If not, he feels like a lock to make the practice squad.