Kcstar . Evaluation time

[Chiefswinitall 60]

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article217367695.html

 

Chiefs’ brain trust running out of time for evaluations, roster decisions

By Lynn Worthy

lworthy@kcstar.com

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August 26, 2018 04:28 PM

Updated 4 hours 18 minutes ago

For Chiefs coach Andy Reid and his staff, as well as general manager Brett Veach and the front office, a lot of decisions must be made in a condensed period of time with the preseason finale against the Green Bay Packers looming Thursday night at Arrowhead Stadium.

While the fourth preseason game likely won’t alter the Chiefs’ starting lineups or rotations used when the regular season starts, it will be the final chance for players on the bubble to make their case for a roster spot. Starters for both teams are expected to sit out Thursday, paving the way for extended playing time for inexperienced players and backups hoping to latch on with an NFL team.

The Chiefs must reduce their roster from its current 89 players to 53 by Saturday at 4 p.m. Eastern Time. They’ll also need to designate players as reserve/physically unable to perform, reserve/non-football injury or illness at that time.

“Really, we want to get a good look at those young guys and make sure that we analyze them,” Reid said during a conference call on Sunday. “They didn’t play much — the thirds — they didn’t get a ton of work there (on Saturday). You want to make sure you come out of this and you don’t miss somebody and then give them to another team.”

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The Chiefs must make tough calls at several positions, including wide receiver, where the top four spots appear solidified by Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Chris Conley and Demarcus Robinson. A group of players that includes DeAnthony Thomas, Jehu Chesson, Gehrig Dieter, Marcus Kemp, Byron Pringle and Jordan Smallwood are vying for what’s likely two roster spots.

The third quarterback spot behind Patrick Mahomes and veteran backup Chad Henne will either go to Matt McGloin or Chase Litton. McGloin is a fifth-year pro who has seven starts on his resume, while Litton is a physically gifted undrafted rookie out of Marshall.

 

 

 

Duration 1:12

Andy Reid after Chiefs preseason loss to Bears

 

 

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid talks to reporters after facing Chicago in the third game of the preseason. Chicago, led by former Reid assistant Matt Nagy, did not play most of its starters while the Chiefs starters played extensively.

By Lynn Worthy

 

 

The inside linebacker group, after starters Reggie Ragland and Anthony Hitchens, also faces some tough choices. Assuming the Chiefs keep five outside and five inside backers, that leaves a four-man group of Ukeme Eligwe, Terrance Smith, rookie draft pick Dorian O’Daniel and undrafted rookie Ben Niemann likely battling for one spot.

Veteran outside linebackers Justin Houston and Dee Ford, the team’s top two pass rushers who’ve each had a recent history of injury issues, have played sparingly during the preseason. Top draft pick Breeland Speaks and second-year man Tanoh Kpassagnon have garnered most of the time with the first-team defense at the outside linebacker spots.

“Inevitably you’d like to have four guys there that you can rotate,” Reid said. “That’s what you’d like so you can keep guys fresh and fast. I just think it’s important, especially if one of them is a rookie, that they get playing time. I don’t want to slight them at all. I know what the other two can do. They other two are in pretty good shape right now, so they’re coming out of this thing healthy, which is important.”

Backup Chiefs tight end Demetrius Harris will miss the regular-season opener as he serves a suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. Reid would not say whether Harris would play this week but acknowledged there could be special circumstances where players who figure to play a lot during the regular season appear in the final preseason game.

The starters, meanwhile, will begin looking ahead to the Sept. 9 season opener against the Chargers, though this will be a short week of practice with a Thursday game.

 

 

 

Duration 0:57

Patrick Mahomes takes the podium after preseason loss in Chicago

 

 

KC Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes speaks to media following a preseason loss to the Chicago Bears. He discussed his touchdown pass to Kareem Hunt as well as working previously with former Chiefs assistant and current Bears coach Matt Nagy.

By Lynn Worthy

 

 

“They’ll have a chance to look at some of the Chargers stuff, the guys that don’t play in the game,” Reid said. “We kind of split it up, split practice up where you work part Chargers and part Packers.”

Suggested for you

[liquidfriend 1,151]

WR: Hill, Watkins, Conley, Robinson, Chesson, Pringle

QB: Mahomes, Hennewagon (Stash Litton on IR with fake injury)--Mahomes is a young QB and doesn't have much wear and tear.  I don't see a need for 3 QB's on the active 53.

ILB: Ragland,Hitchens,Niemann,O'Daniel and bring in one more from another team at final cuts

So far not that hard.

[jetlord 10,209]

28 minutes ago, liquidfriend said:

WR: Hill, Watkins, Conley, Robinson, Chesson, Pringle

QB: Mahomes, Hennewagon (Stash Litton on IR with fake injury)--Mahomes is a young QB and doesn't have much wear and tear.  I don't see a need for 3 QB's on the active 53.

ILB: Ragland,Hitchens,Niemann,O'Daniel and bring in one more from another team at final cuts

So far not that hard.

Pringle might have a hard time getting ahead of Kemp.  Neither will play except for special teams.  DAT really has no role on the team with Hill's ability to run.  Hate to say it, but I'm not sure Ware is in the top three for RB.

[xen 1,010,220]

Not that easy either.  Kemp has made as much of a case or moreso than Pringle and Chesson.

[xen 1,010,220]

1 minute ago, jetlord said:

Pringle might have a hard time getting ahead of Kemp.  Neither will play except for special teams.  DAT really has no role on the team with Hill's ability to run.  Hate to say it, but I'm not sure Ware is in the top three for RB.

I don't know about that.  DAT being a bottom of the roster guy, our Asst HC will have a say in who stays and DAT is on every ST team as either a returner or a gunner.

[jetlord 10,209]

3 minutes ago, xen said:

I don't know about that.  DAT being a bottom of the roster guy, our Asst HC will have a say in who stays and DAT is on every ST team as either a returner or a gunner.

I realize that, but for every good return, there seems to be several where DAT dances around and picks up negative yards or fails to return kicks back to even the twenty.  He'll probably stick, but if he doesn't, I won't be sad about it.

[Mloe68 1,521]

1 hour ago, liquidfriend said:

WR: Hill, Watkins, Conley, Robinson, Chesson, Pringle

QB: Mahomes, Hennewagon (Stash Litton on IR with fake injury)--Mahomes is a young QB and doesn't have much wear and tear.  I don't see a need for 3 QB's on the active 53.

ILB: Ragland,Hitchens,Niemann,O'Daniel and bring in one more from another team at final cuts

So far not that hard.

I’d be very surprised to see Pringle make it. I’d give Neiman about a 50-50 shot. 

[liquidfriend 1,151]

25 minutes ago, Mloe68 said:

I’d be very surprised to see Pringle make it. I’d give Neiman about a 50-50 shot. 

The dropoff after Robinson is massive and I'd keep Neiman over Eligwe, so far at least.

[Chiefswinitall 60]

And Safety Quarles the Safety is big and fast probably and SUCKS.

I am clueless I know but we should have picked up a UDFA safety too.   

Don't understand Andy talking up Quarles.

Eligwe is another fast guy thats all track and field and not enough football.   Is he a 4 or 5 year project?  Necessary for Pass defense? Don't know.   Suttons call.

[dhitter 1,424]

WR is going to be interesting. Several bubble guys have had a moment in the sun. Really boils down to what they bring to ST play

[Mloe68 1,521]

34 minutes ago, dhitter said:

WR is going to be interesting. Several bubble guys have had a moment in the sun. Really boils down to what they bring to ST play

Good point. Could very well be Dave Toubs call.  

[jetlord 10,209]

How does this work?  Do team all cut to 53 Sat. afternoon then scramble to pick up any released players they want and cut some more if they sign any?  For example, it's easy to imagine the Chiefs could find a DB on the waiver list that better than their last backup so is the final 53 really that final?

[liquidfriend 1,151]

All teams have till some deadline on Saturday to cut down to 53.  

After that deadline, all the players are put on the waiver line and teams will have priority dependent on how shitty they were last season.  

As many teams as possible can claim a player, but only the highest priority squad will get the player.

When a team is awarded a player, they will assume the contract as written by the previous team and will have to cut another player already on their roster if they are at the 53 man limit.

Once the big waiver line wave happens, teams can begin to sign players to their Practice Squad and the players can choose any team to sign with.

[Chiefswinitall 60]

yes

[Chiefswinitall 60]

It will be interesting if we find any other cast offs from other teams.

[xen 1,010,220]

What will be really interesting will be how many guys we drop get picked up by other teams.  We're gonna have to cut some guys that can play this year.

[kkuenn 3,607]

We will give some to PS and as always designate some with injuries 

[dhitter 1,424]

I gotta believe Veach is gonna be scouring for a diamond in the manure pile. I almost expect him to cut below the 53 and pick up 1 or 2 bodies.

[jetlord 10,209]

2 hours ago, liquidfriend said:

All teams have till some deadline on Saturday to cut down to 53.  

After that deadline, all the players are put on the waiver line and teams will have priority dependent on how shitty they were last season.  

As many teams as possible can claim a player, but only the highest priority squad will get the player.

When a team is awarded a player, they will assume the contract as written by the previous team and will have to cut another player already on their roster if they are at the 53 man limit.

Once the big waiver line wave happens, teams can begin to sign players to their Practice Squad and the players can choose any team to sign with.

Thanks, LF.  That's about how I imagined it.  So the Chiefs' staff will be burning the midnight oil trying to find a corner and/or safety.

[liquidfriend 1,151]

6 minutes ago, jetlord said:

Thanks, LF.  That's about how I imagined it.  So the Chiefs' staff will be burning the midnight oil trying to find a corner and/or safety.

Yes, I'm sure they'll be looking heavily at all the DB cuts and Tight Ends.

[wilkie 1,518]

I think it is 3:00 this Saturday.    All preseason games have to have been finished.  It really puts a burden on Veech and scouts to quickly go through the waiver wire,  put in a bid,  wait and see if the player they bid on falls to them,   then release somebody so they wind up with the 53 man roster and are still under the cap.   A lot of the preparation has already been done,  such as what an at risk players salary is right now.    But  its kind of a free for all.    It would be interesting if this was televised.

 

[wilkie 1,518]

Query.....the person we release is now waived and goes back into the pool.   So the number of players never gets smaller,  it just changes characters.   Perhaps the solution is to get the team down to 50 players,  then go in bid on three.

[jetlord 10,209]

Here's hoping (or assuming) that the staff has a pretty solid list of DBs that are potential cuts and which ones they'll go after.  They also know who's on the bubble to make room for a FA and what the cap implications will be.  The timing is a little confusing to me.  How much time does the league give to churn the FA pool before allowing teams to sign players to the practice squad?  It all must happen pretty quickly.