Top Position Battles Among 2022 Kansas City Chiefs Depth Chart

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At this point in the NFL offseason, teams are largely set in most spots on their respective roster. Not every spot may be set in stone on the exact starters. Yet, most teams know who will be competing for roles that are potentially up for grabs at certain positions. Teams may also still have a late free agent move in mind that they would like to make as well. For the Kansas City Chiefs, there are still a few spots that are relatively worth watching for, due to position battles.

There is still some sorting out to do at a couple of offensive positions. For instance, wide receiver and running back are spots where new names have been added. We have a pretty good idea of who will likely garner the most snaps in those places, however. On the flip side, the Chiefs are coming off of a draft in which they made their most selections during the time in which Brett Veach has been general manager. How will that factor into position battles, especially with a Kansas City defense that is much younger overall?

We have identified three position battles that are the most intriguing to watch for among the 2022 Kansas City Chiefs depth chart. Which spots may somewhat surprisingly be filled by rookies? Plus, are there any other spots that could be filled by outside free agents who are not currently on the roster? Let’s kick it off with a position battle on the Chiefs’ offensive line.

Right Tackle

The way in which Kansas City rebuilt their offensive line in one offseason was extremely rare last year. Creed Humphrey was arguably one of the league’s more polished centers as a rookie. The veteran additions of Orlando Brown Jr. and Joe Thuney paid off massively on Patrick Mahomes‘ blindside. Moreover, the superb rookie season of Trey Smith at right guard was almost something that did not happen. The team signed veteran Kyle Long out of retirement, expecting him to be the initial starter at right guard. An unfortunate preseason injury for Long turned out to be a crucial swing for Smith and the Chiefs.

There is just one spot that is left undecided on the Kansas City offensive line. At right tackle, the Chiefs used three names in that spot as starters last year. One of which, Mike Remmers, is no longer on the team. Of the other two, Andrew Wylie may have a slight upper hand on Lucas Niang, when it comes to recent performance. Niang is also battling back from an injury that prematurely ended his season late last year. And after the 2022 NFL Draft, the Chiefs now have rookie Darian Kinnard who has been inserted into the fold.

If there is anything to know about this particular position battle, it will indeed be fierce. The Chiefs know they have some sense of stability with Wylie. He finished the year relatively strong against stiff competition, especially inside of division games, like when he faced Maxx Crosby. Niang has yet to find any sense of consistency when healthy. Most of all, he has struggled just as much against power rushers, as he has against speed rushers off of the edge. Whereas with Kinnard, his nasty demeanor, size and mauling presence is easy to pick up on. Kansas City may feel like that gives him a slight edge in this position battle at right tackle.

Cornerback (Outside Of L’Jarius Sneed And Trent McDuffie)

Of the Chiefs cornerbacks, it is largely expected that the duo of L’Jarius Sneed and Trent McDuffie will garner the most snaps. Both of those two could play at either slot or on the outside. In fact, it would not be too surprising to see defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo mix and match with each of those two at both spots.

The rest of the cornerback snaps are up for grabs it appears. Despite somewhat of a breakout season last year, nothing feels guaranteed for Rashad Fenton. His length on the outside is something that gives him a foot in the door, so to speak, within Kansas City’s defense. Add in the fact that his ball production has remained relatively steady, and Fenton could still play a significant role at cornerback.

However, the Chiefs have not hesitated to bring in more bodies to that spot. And rightfully so, as the loss of Charvarius Ward created a greater hole at the position. Kansas City has continued to add similar body types and play styles to that of Fenton, in the meantime. Names like Lonnie Johnson Jr., Joshua Williams, Jaylen Watson and Deandre Baker can also lean on length and ball skills. The door seems open for any of those guys to grab hold of that third spot alongside of Sneed and McDuffie. Finally, others like Dicaprio Bootle and Luq Barcoo will be stiff competitors at training camp, to boot.

Defensive Tackle (Outside Of Chris Jones)

Of all of the position battles that we have mentioned, this one could still be filled by a name that is not currently on the Chiefs roster. Kansas City could always look to make a late free agent addition at defensive tackle. It may be somewhat similar to what they did with Jarran Reed last season. Simply, there are still some serviceable veterans that are out there still looking for work.

Outside of Chris Jones, there is not much experience at the defensive tackle spot. Kansas City received immediate production from Tershawn Wharton in 2020. Though, he took somewhat of a step back last season, as his playing time decreased. Oftentimes, it is challenging to find the necessary role for him between defensive tackle or defensive end. He is likely the best pass rusher behind Jones at defensive tackle for the Chiefs, as things currently stand.

Derrick Nnadi returning on a one-year deal is a nice story. But, we know he is mostly productive against the run. The jury is still out on Khalen Saunders, a former third-round pick of Kansas City in 2019. Elsewhere, Taylor Stallworth, a minor free agent addition, may serve as a rotational player at best. In terms of production, there is not a whole lot to bank on with Stallworth.

It is surprising to see how the Chiefs have neglected this spot this offseason. Will they look for a committee approach to get the job done alongside Jones? Or, does a late free agent addition move the needle for Kansas City’s front office?

Be on the lookout for more FPC Chiefs articles throughout this week. For more great sports and NFL content, stay tuned to Full Press Coverage.

– Braden Holecek is the Kansas City Chiefs managing editor for Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @ebearcat9//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Chiefs//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js and Facebook.