Rival Gifts Chiefs Ideal Justin Reid Insurance Before 1st Preseason Game

After months of anticipation, the Kansas City Chiefs will finally return to action when they open their preseason against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday. As of Tuesday, the Chiefs head into the exhibition matchup as the 2.5-point underdogs, per FanDuel Sportsbook.

Having said that, the preseason isn't about winning games. It's about Kansas City's coaching staff figuring out which players give them the best shot at pulling off a Super Bowl three-peat next postseason. While we have a good idea of who'll be on the 53-man roster come September, that could change as the other 31 teams begin to make roster cuts, giving the Chiefs some potential depth options they didn't have before.

As it turns out, one intriguing option became available courtesy of an AFC West rival.

Chiefs News: Broncos Release S Caden Sterns

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero is reporting that the Denver Broncos have released fourth-year safety Caden Sterns. The former 2021 fifth-rounder was released on Monday out of "the best interest of our team," per Broncos head coach Sean Payton.

The Chiefs already have one of the most loaded secondaries in the NFL, proven by their allowing the fourth-fewest passing yards last season. Veteran safety Justin Reid leads the bunch, however, some additional depth wouldn't hurt given that the 27-year-old ballhawk is currently on the non-football injury list with a quad issue.

If Kansas City wants some insurance in case Reid misses significant regular-season time, targeting Sterns to bring more depth to the table makes sense.

Sterns, who's coming off a season-ending patellar tendon tear, has been a decent backup option for the Broncos. He's made five starts across 21 games in his young career, recording 36 solo tackles, 2.0 sacks, nine defended passes, and four interceptions.

The main hurdle when it comes to Sterns is his health. The former Texas Longhorn has only played 21 games across three seasons, meaning he misses an average of nine games per year. The other side of the coin is that he's only 24 years old, meaning he's still young enough to enjoy a healthy career (in theory).

At the end of the day, taking a swing on a young safety like Sterns is a low-risk, high-reward situation. If he doesn't work out, chances are it wouldn't cost the Chiefs much. But if he does thrive in Steve Spagnuolo's defense, the franchise could be looking at a reliable secondary piece for years to come.

Besides, it'd also be like a metaphorical middle finger to the Broncos, showing them which team is superior at helping develop young players.

But whether they take a swing on Sterns or not, the defending Super Bowl Champions' outlook is bright. The Chiefs head into their preseason debut tied with the San Francisco 49ers for the best odds to hoist the Lombardi Trophy (+600), according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

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