What to Look For in the Chiefs' Final Preseason Game

The Kansas City Chiefs' 2022 preseason is set to end soon, and the team is facing a legitimate challenge as the Green Bay Packers come into town. Kansas City, 1-1, will be looking to finish things off with a winning record before its week off heading into the regular season. Despite this being just the preseason, there's still plenty to play for.

On Tuesday, Aug. 30, the Chiefs will have until 3 p.m. local time to trim their roster down from 80 players to their final 53. The club is permitted to carry up to 16 players on its practice squad, so all isn't doom and gloom for those who don't make the final cut. With that said, Kansas City has multiple position battles seemingly still being active that could be determined by preseason game No. 3. What are some storylines to keep an eye on for Chiefs-Packers? Let's take a look at five.

How much will the starters play?

All week long, there's been speculation about whether or not the Chiefs' starters such as quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce would play at all against the Packers. Head coach Andy Reid was noncommittal about making his decision, saying on Tuesday that he hadn't decided yet. As of the publishing of this article, mum's still the word on that front. Reid-led Chiefs teams haven't typically made their star-level players a featured part of the final game plan in the preseason, but this three-contest format being back for a second year could throw a fork in those plans. Some starters very well may not play at all, but the exact amount of snaps for those who do suit up and are active will be something to follow.

Can Ronald Jones II catch a second wind?

When Ronald Jones originally signed with the Chiefs, there was legitimate buzz surrounding him potentially playing a major role within Reid's offense. Starter Clyde Edwards-Helaire was coming off a disappointing 2021 campaign and the cupboard was rather bare in the running back room. A Jerick McKinnon re-signing and Isiah Pacheco training camp breakout later, though, and Jones is now on his last leg in Kansas City. The 25-year-old has four carries for one yard and a mere three-yard reception this preseason, and it'll take something serious on Thursday night for him to have a chance of sticking on Kansas City's 53-man roster. Could Derrick Gore going on the injured reserve list allow Jones to have better fortunes? KC will find out soon.

Who's going to secure the final offensive line spot(s)?

The Chiefs' starting offensive line of Orlando Brown Jr., Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith and Andrew Wylie is set in stone. There's little room for interpretation there, as well as for the first depth spot (Nick Allegretti). Outside of that, players such as Geron Christian, Prince Tega Wanogho, Austin Reiter, Roderick Johnson and Darian Kinnard are stuck battling for the final three or four spots. Christian seems to have an edge on a spot, and Reiter's experience likely gives him good odds. Kinnard is the name to watch, as the 2022 fifth-round pick hasn't impressed in camp nor the preseason. For more on Kinnard and the offensive line battle, check out Conner Christopherson and myself on Thursday's Roughing the Kicker podcast:

Watching the defensive tackle battle

The Chiefs' first handful of interior defensive linemen — Chris Jones, Derrick Nnadi, Tershawn Wharton, Danny Shelton — appears to be set in stone. The battle for the fifth spot, if the club decides to keep five, comes down to free agent acquisition Taylor Stallworth and fourth-year lineman Khalen Saunders. Both players have had some impressive moments during the preseason, with Stallworth being a steady contributor in heavy snaps and Saunders making splash plays and flashing his athleticism. It remains to be seen which player the Chiefs will opt to keep, but Saunders's prior experience with the team could put him on an inside track. Will the Packers game be the deciding factor between the two? It's possible.

Will Daurice Fountain lock up the WR6 role?

Much like the previous positions, the Chiefs have a pretty set top group at wide receiver in some way, shape or form: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Mecole Hardman, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Skyy Moore. Justin Watson's stellar play during training camp and the preseason almost surely makes him wideout No. 5. While Daurice Fountain may not have the sixth and final spot completely locked up, he seems to be the favorite. Behind him, second-year receiver Cornell Powell stood out in a good way last week and veterans Josh Gordon and Corey Coleman could be playing their final games as Chiefs. Kansas City's last wideout on the depth chart isn't going to play a big role this year, but making the team is still a massive accomplishment. Fountain might just be able to do so for the second year in a row, but he has some competition.