Stock Up, Stock Down Following Chiefs’ Preseason Finale
The final preseason game is typically seen as a chance for players that are fighting for a roster spot to showcase what they could bring to the table. The Kansas City Chiefs' 2022 preseason finale was no exception, and much of it was spent watching the second- and third-string players do their best to secure their spot on the team.
Kansas City defeated the Green Bay Packers 17-10 on Thursday night in the final tune-up before the regular season. Who rose to the occasion when needed most? Who couldn’t handle the pressure when the stakes were the highest? Let’s take a look at who stepped up and who took a step back.
Stock Up: Ronald Jones
To say that Ronald Jones had a rough training camp and preseason before the final game would be an understatement. He joined the Chiefs with the hopes of potentially being able to, at best, take over the starting job at running back for the team and, at worst, split some time and carries with Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
Jones couldn't get anything going in the first two preseason games. Four carries for one yard against the Chicago Bears and zero carries against the Washington Commanders were concerning, to say the least. Head coach Andy Reid wanted to give Jones a larger workload in the third preseason game, and he took advantage of his opportunity. Jones looked quicker and more decisive as a runner, finishing with eight carries for 43 yards along with one catch for four yards. It may be enough to warrant a roster spot, especially with injuries to running back Derrick Gore as well as tight end Blake Bell. Jones stepped up and helped his case.
Fellow running back Isiah Pacheco also stepped up his game compared to recent weeks, getting 10 carries for 52 yards. The Chiefs could carry four running backs on the final roster. Edwards-Helaire, Jerick McKinnon, Pacheco and Jones would give the team plenty of depth at the position.
Stock Down: Joshua Williams
There has been a lot of hype surrounding cornerback Joshua Williams, the 2022 fourth-round pick from Fayetteville State. He’s had a great training camp and looked solid in the first two preseason games. He's a raw prospect, though, and that showed in the final preseason game.
Williams got turned around on a few plays, missed a gift-wrapped interception and also missed a few tackles throughout the night. To be truthful, most of those errors occurred on one drive and it just so happened to be the Packers' lone touchdown drive. Packers backup quarterback, Jordan Love, started the game and played deep into the third quarter. He seemed to be attacking Williams's side of the field more often than not. That showed in the box score, with Williams leading the team in tackles.
Williams has the athletic profile and the tools to become a solid cornerback. This one hiccup of a game won't hinder his chances of making the team but with fellow rookie Jaylen Watson having a good preseason, playing time between the two could be more evenly split now.
Stock Up: Bryan Cook
Bryan Cook, the rookie safety out of Cincinnati, continued to show his physicality and natural ability as a playmaker in the secondary. With the Packers driving during a two-minute drill just before halftime, Cook turned in an impressive interception to end it. He showed off his athleticism during the return, although it was called back due to a penalty.
Cook also continued to impress on special teams, getting in on the action during punt and kick returns. He was never in doubt to make the final 53-man roster, but playing so well in the preseason finale could go a long way for his confidence.
Justin Reid and Juan Thornhill have the starting safety spots locked up, but Cook is a very nice depth piece for this team moving forward. The Chiefs shouldn’t see a big drop-off in production when Cook enters a game, even throughout his rookie season.
Stock Down: Josh Gordon
The Chiefs gave Josh Gordon what is possibly his final opportunity in the NFL, and he didn’t capitalize. By all accounts, he was a fantastic person off the field during his tenure in Kansas City. His teammates all seemed to like him. It just wasn’t working out on the field.
In his limited opportunities last season, he wasn’t able to get in a groove and drops continued to plague him. This year, he never stood out in camp and became “just a guy” despite a lot of new, unproven faces in the wide receiver room.
Things went from bad to worse for Gordon in the final preseason game. Though he did play throughout the game, he was never targeted. When your name is already below the bubble, that type of outing will further push you out of favor as the decision-making process for the final roster continues.
With the emergence of wide receiver Justin Watson, along with Daurice Fountain having a good preseason and also experience on special teams, there was no room for error. Gordon is likely to be on the outside looking in.
Honorable Mention: Matt Bushman
This was a tough one, as there were a lot of solid performances from players like quarterback Shane Buechele, tight end Jody Fortson, linebacker Darius Harris and cornerback Dicaprio Bootle. However, it was tight end Matt Bushman who had the biggest standout performance in the preseason finale.
Bushman entered the game with limited playing time but an injury to Blake Bell and starter Travis Kelce not playing led to him being given a chance at some extended playing time. He took advantage to the tune of three catches for 73 yards, including the play of the game — a 54-yard touchdown pass from Buechele.
Unfortunately for Bushman, he fractured his clavicle in the third quarter. Bushman showed enough in the final preseason game to where he could have been one of the final players on the bubble added to the 53-man roster, especially with Bell being injured to start the season. It's another disappointing injury for Bushman, whose college career was cut short due to them. Time will tell if he can bounce back and get another shot with the Chiefs in the future.
With the preseason wrapped up, now the Chiefs look forward to final roster cuts. Then, it's on to facing the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 11. The expectations continue to be Super Bowl-or-bust for Kansas City as coach Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes lead the way into the 2022 regular season.
