Chiefs Preseason Takeaways: Depth Flashes In 2022 Finale

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The Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up their 2022 preseason on Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers. Soon enough, the real games will begin, and the chaos of weekly NFL action will ensue. Kansas City allowed some starters to play in the preseason finale. Whereas with others, they were held out completely. This made for some fascinating pairings and looks, as some players were getting one last crack with hopes of making the Chiefs 53-man roster.

I once again had my notebook and pen handy throughout the final preseason game. After jotting down my top takeaways from KC’s showing, it is time to list the major ones that stood out. What players boosted their chances of landing on the roster? Did someone help themselves at getting noticed by an outside team? We will answer those questions and more with our top takeaways from the Chiefs preseason finale. Let’s kick it off.

Ronald Jones Getting Late Boost In Running Back Room?

We had not seen Ronald Jones get many looks with the starting offense this year. That goes for both training camp and the preseason. Meanwhile, the newcomer displayed tough running and a physical presence in the final preseason game for the Chiefs. Jones is someone who was a curious signing to begin with. Given how Kansas City values versatility and special teams ability from running backs that are lower on the depth chart, Jones did not seem to fit.

In fact, we did not predict him to make the Chiefs 2022 53-man roster in our running back predictions. Jones’ hard-nosed style could be a nice complement to others in the running back room. However, we did not see much consistency from him during training camp and the preseason. Did he do enough to boost his stock in the running back room last night? Possibly. However, Andy Reid mentioned after the game that he did not do anything to “hurt himself.” Perhaps, that means Kansas City would dangle him out there for any kind of trade compensation as well. We will see in the next few days.

The Starting Defense’s Energy Continues To Draw Attention

Say what you will about the preseason, but the Chiefs have shown some incredible energy with their starting defense. That must still be carried over to the regular season and hopefully into the playoffs. Nevertheless, there is a clear difference in the charisma that the Kansas City defensive unit is showing. Compared to last year, you have younger players who are hungry and looking to prove that they can be counted on in this new-look defense. Far too many times last year, the fight was gone from the Chiefs defense. There were even some players who showed they did not want all of the smoke, depending on the offensive opposition as well.

The Chiefs wanted to become more physical, bigger and faster on defense. We have already seen those elements flash throughout the preseason. More importantly, having those items mix with pride and determination will help Kansas City moving forward. This proud bunch is looking to plant their flag and get noticed just as much as the offense. Can the Chiefs start hot defensively with the beginning of the regular season coming up?

Matt Bushman’s Big Night

We all know the Chiefs have one of, if not the best, tight ends in the league in Travis Kelce. Yet, the depth that Kansas City has built at tight end is rather impressive. The one who flashed the most last night? That would be Matt Bushman. He is in his first year with the Chiefs, after being with the Las Vegas Raiders last season as a UDFA.

Bushman was able to record two touchdown catches in the preseason finale. One of which, was a long score where the defense lost him in coverage. Bushman was proving that he could possibly make the roster with a late push, especially with the recent injury to Blake Bell. Unfortunately, Bushman is reported to have suffered a fractured clavicle late in the game. Did that completely end his late chance to make the Chiefs roster?

Chiefs Suddenly Have Strong Linebacker Depth

For years, Derrick Johnson was one of the more consistent linebackers in the NFL. After his prime years, the Chiefs went through a bit of a lull at the linebacker position. We saw players struggle with making tackles in crucial spots. We saw players get outmuscled on third down pass attempts. Moreover, we even saw players struggle to make the correct reads in space.

With the NFL predicating on pace and space more and more, the Chiefs knew they needed to get faster at linebacker. Over the last few years, they have done just that. The starting duo of Nick Bolton and Willie Gay are primed for explosive seasons. Meanwhile, the Chiefs have quietly built stable depth at the linebacker spot. Elijah Lee‘s homecoming and versatility are a tremendous story for Kansas City. Leo Chenal is the ultimate throwback coming in as a rookie. Finally, Darius Harris appears to have the LB5 spot locked up. He had a few major stops in the preseason finale and has continued to grind within the Chiefs program.

Isiah Pacheco Displays Patience And Good Reads

There has been plenty of hype surrounding seventh-round rookie running back Isiah Pacheco. He certainly looks the part already, bringing a tremendous blend of size, speed and toughness against contact. It also appears that he will likely open the regular season as the leading kick returner.

There is just one thing that Pacheco was needing to work on down the stretch of training camp and the preseason. For instance, his ability to read and wait on his blocks to develop were a major sticking point. Pacheco did miss a chance at a more beneficial gain on the ground in the second preseason game, not seeing the open lane to the right. Though, he looked more comfortable and patient in tight spaces in the preseason finale. Once he puts that all together, Pacheco has the chance to shine as a rookie in the Chiefs offense.

Be on the lookout for more FPC Chiefs articles and analysis in the coming days. 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.