The Kansas City Chiefs are closing in on training camp with the majority of the starting positions locked into place. It is a familiar theme for a franchise that has often had clarity at the top of its depth chart due to being such an elite contender. High standards leave little room for questions, and this has pushed the Chiefs to have early offseason answers when it comes to the team's starting options.
However, this doesn't mean there aren't entertaining battles upcoming that have a chance to contribute to the team's current roster. There is no shortage of new faces that KC brought in this offseason, as well as veteran pieces that have been put into a position to fight for their roles and roster spots. Leading us to look at a trio of upcoming battles for fans to keep a close eye on throughout training camp and into the preseason.
Chiefs roster isn't set just yet as they enter training camp with questions unanswered
1. Tight End Depth
The third tight end role could have a far larger impact than it would for many teams, based on the position the Chiefs find themselves in. Travis Kelce needs to be kept as fresh as possible, while Noah Gray is coming off the worst season of his career. These two factors make the battle for the TE3 role incredibly entertaining and potentially more impactful than many might expect.
Jared Wiley, Jake Briningstool, John Michael-Gyllenborg, Tre Watson, and Mason Pline are all currently rostered at the position. This is an interesting mix of options that hands the Chiefs a puncher's chance of finding a surprise contributor and wiping away depth concerns around the position. No question, it demands a close eye in hopes of the team finding surprising depth and stability.
2. Kansas City's Fourth Receiver
The Chiefs are going to give the team's fourth option at the receiver position plenty of chances to influence the offense. When you consider the unique questions around the team's current starting trio, it wouldn't be at all surprising to see whoever wins the fourth role forced into the lineup at some point in the regular season.
Jalen Royals, Cyrus Allen, and Nikko Remigio are the current group of players fighting for this role. The rookie Allen has the advantage of being an unknown, while it appears Royals stood out in minicamp and left many wondering if he could take a year two leap. Regardless of the answer, the position is by far the most impactful that appears to be truly up for grabs.
3. Safety
Alohi Hilman is going to be in the starting lineup and is expected to be a veteran leader for Steve Spagnuolo's defense. While Chamarri Conner can be considered the early favorite to earn the other starting role, both Chris Roland-Wallace and Jaden Hicks will be attempting to make a push to claim the starting role in training camp and into the preseason. Considering Conner's inconsistencies not only in the slot but also at times at safety, it is absolutely on the table that one of these players makes a run and pushes the Chiefs to make a starting lineup change.
Kansas City's secondary is as much of a question mark as it has been since the start of the Mahomes era. It is vital to find the right pieces to help support the team's young corners and provide the needed start to the year. With this in mind, the door is going to be open to find the best possible option to start alongside Gilman.
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