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4 Chiefs Still on Thin Ice Despite Surviving Roster Cuts

As the Chiefs prepare to chase after a third consecutive Super Bowl, these four Kansas City players are on thin ice despite surviving Tuesday's roster deadline.

By Devon Platana

These five Chiefs are still on thin ice.
These five Chiefs are still on thin ice. / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
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The Kansas City Chiefs' quest for a third straight Lombardi Trophy became closer with the passing of Tuesday's 53-man roster deadline. Head coach Andy Reid & Co. finalized their championship-chasing roster to end the summer, which included parting ways with key names like Kadarius Toney, Louis Rees-Zammit, and Ian Book.

While the Chiefs' initial 53-man roster has been finalized, that doesn't guarantee everyone's future in Kansas City. After all, some players' outlook is still up in the air despite surviving roster cuts, whether that's because they left much to be desired this summer or that they're on an expiring contract.

Regardless of what the reason might be, these four Chiefs are still on thin ice following the franchise's latest roster cuts.

1. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR

What's old became new again when the Kansas City Chiefs signed veteran wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster to a one-year contract on Monday. The former USC playmajer was cut by the New England Patriots earlier this month after tallying just 260 receiving yards with a touchdown in the first season of a three-year, $33 million contract he signed last summer.

Smith-Schuster previously spent the 2022 campaign with the Chiefs. He played a big role in Kansas City's first of back-to-back Super Bowl-winning seasons, tallying 933 yards and three touchdowns during the regular season before turning 10 catches into another 89 yards during his three postseason appearances.

Nevertheless, it remains to be seen how much the 27-year-old wideout has left in the tank. If he can reach his 2022 heights again, Smith-Schuster could rise up to the WR3 spot on the depth chart. Conversely, he could tumble down the pecking order if he shows that his struggles in New England weren't a one-off experience.

If Smith-Schuster fails to produce with Patrick Mahomes under center, it's hard to imagine him having much more of an NFL future. For his sake — as well as the Chiefs' championship prospects — let's hope he returns to former sooner rather than later.

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