The Kansas City Chiefs are back in action soon, continuing their quest to decipher who should be on the eventual 53-man roster. August 15’s game against the Seattle Seahawks is poised to give head coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach a better idea of who’s standing out.
Several players have opportunities to separate from the pack. With stars like quarterback Patrick Mahomes set to potentially sit out on Friday night, Reid is operating in a relatively new manner.
With that in mind, let’s run back the “Chiefs players to watch” series for the second week of the preseason.
1: Chiefs Fourth-Round WR Jalen Royals
Of the Chiefs’ 2025 NFL Draft class, not many players made a better first impression than wideout Jalen Royals. The fourth-round pick was targeted 5 times against the Arizona Cardinals last weekend, hauling in 3 passes for 14 yards. He also had a kickoff return for 26 yards. Royals’ blend of short-area speed and post-catch chops makes him an intriguing piece to keep an eye on when Kansas City takes the field.
As things stand, Royals figures to be a roster lock for the Chiefs. The trio of Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown occupies the top of the depth chart. Behind them, it’s veteran JuJu Smith-Schuster and the rookie. Royals isn’t in direct competition with players like Nikko Remigio, but a strong performance on Friday could hold off camp darling Tyquan Thornton for potential regular-season reps.
2: DT Omarr Norman-Lott
When the Chiefs selected defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott in the second round, they appeared to be banking on long-term production from a pass rush standpoint. After all, his win rates were awesome in college. Despite being part of a rotation at Tennessee, he flashed more than enough to intrigue Veach and company. In the club’s preseason debut, though, the athletic interior rusher was visibly heavier.
That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. With that said, it’s absolutely something to keep at back of mind. Norman-Lott played 30 snaps (45%) down in Arizona and spent plenty of time showcasing a skill set that’s more of a nose tackle than a true three-technique player. The latter is Chris Jones, whereas the former is someone like Mike Pennel. What’s the real plan for the rookie? Friday could provide more of a hint.
3: LB Jeffrey Bassa
Another 2025 draft pickup, Jeffrey Bassa is part of a loaded linebacker room. At the top, the Chiefs aren’t going to give snaps away from Nick Bolton, Drue Tranquill or Leo Chenal. In the past, players like Cam Jones, Jack Cochrane and Cole Christiansen have filtered in as special teams aces and substitutes. Cooper McDonald added something to the mix against the Cardinals, but Bassa may have been the best linebacker on the field for Kansas City.
Playing snaps, Bassa racked up 6 tackles (that figure led the team). He also paced the entire field in defensive snaps played with 42. The Chiefs made a concerted effort to get their fifth-round selection plenty of opportunities. He’s clearly got a ton of room to go before being a viable piece during the season. On the other hand, his ability to shoot gaps and flash his athleticism is second to no one on the depth chart.
4: CB Nohl Williams
Nohl Williams, picked two rounds before Bassa, might just be the top Williams in the cornerback room entering the Chiefs’ second preseason game. Joshua Williams, a fourth-year veteran, has yet to showcase any growth. The younger Williams logged a pair of tackles last Saturday and also returned a kick for 28 yards. One of his tackles was for a loss, highlighting his willingness to crash in the run game and make stops.
In 27 snaps, Williams was able to do a bit of everything. He put his run-defending and special teams talents on display, also putting up a couple of solid reps in coverage. With Trent McDuffie being a potential candidate to sit and the Chiefs knowing what they have in Joshua Williams and Nazeeh Johnson, Williams may get a sizable workload once again. The trio of McDuffie, Jaylen Watson and Kristian Fulton won’t allow the rookie to break out in year one, but these reps remain important nonetheless.
5: LT Josh Simmons & LG Kingsley Suamataia
Listing two players might be considered cheating here, but the left-side offensive line duo of tackle Josh Simmons and guard Kingsley Suamataia should be viewed as a group. How they perform together could make or break the 2025-26 Chiefs season. During training camp, they struggled to pick up some of the blitzes and games defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo threw at them.
Simmons’ profile is better than that of Suamataia, and he also had a better showing in Arizona. Somehow, there aren’t many questions about him as Week 1 approaches. Suamataia, on the other hand, is faced with countless ones. If he struggles against the Seahawks’ front, expect buzz of Jaylon Moore or even Mike Caliendo to eventually replace him to grow even louder. This development could be the Chiefs’ most interesting one at the moment.
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