Biggest Winners and Losers From Chiefs' Preseason Week 2 Loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Chiefs dropped their eighth straight preseason game Saturday night in Tampa Bay, which of course means absolutely nothing. They did not capture a win in either of the previous two preseason years. One of those years they went to the Super Bowl. The other, they went 6-11. Take the record for what it is worth.

What does matter is what the individual performances told us, and there was plenty to digest.

Before getting into the biggest winners and losers, it is worth noting that safety Jaden Hicks, defensive tackle Marcus Harris, and running back Emmett Johnson all played well enough to be in the winners column.

Harrison Butker was a mixed bag, drilling an incredible 69-yarder and starting the preseason going 7-for-7, which also included two 59-yard field goals, before missing two kicks. One would have made the score a 16-16 game by the end of it, and the other a 43-yard kick with just over three minutes to go, missing a likely game-winner.

Let’s dive into the three biggest winners and losers of this 16-15 loss to the Bucs.

Winners

Jalen Royals, Wide Receiver

As a fifth-round pick from just a year ago, wide receiver Jalen Royals may have solidified his place on this team Saturday night. That is not usually a concern for second-year draftees, but Royals had shown very little up until this point.

That changed in Tampa Bay.

He was targeted six times and hauled in all six, showcasing the yards-after-the-catch ability that made him an attractive pick out of Utah State. His six catches between Justin Fields and Garrett Nussmeier netted 51 yards, and he was the Chiefs' highest-graded receiver on the night, according to PFF.

For a player whose roster spot has been quietly in question, Saturday was a statement.

Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Defensive End

Saturday night may have been the best we have seen from defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah in a Chiefs uniform. In 16 pass -rush snaps, the four-year veteran supplied four pressures and delivered the biggest highlight of the night, flattening Buccaneers backup quarterback Jake Browning for his first sack of the preseason.

His 26.7 pass-rush win rate led all Chiefs defensive linemen. For a former first-round pick whose career has been defined by injuries and unfulfilled potential, this was the kind of performance that could propel the former Kansas State Wildcat into the starting lineup.

R Mason Thomas, Defensive End

Defensive end R Mason Thomas did not light up the box score, but this is in recognition of his continued showing from a week ago. In 10 true pass sets, the rookie again supplied pressure, collecting a hurry and a quarterback hit.

For an undersized pass rush specialist at 6-foot-2 and 249 pounds, that kind of consistency is exactly what the Chiefs were hoping to see, especially on third downs. Having someone who can generate quick pressure and allow Chris Jones and George Karlaftis to clean up is something this team has been missing for years.

Both Thomas and Anudike-Uzomah stepping up simultaneously is a particularly welcome sight given that Ashton Gillotte's injury timetable remains uncertain. With both stepping up last night, Chiefs OnSI’s Jordan Foote noted that Gillotte’s absence may not be the doomsday scenario we all thought.

Losers

Kahlil Benson, Right Tackle

Right tackle Kahlil Benson drew the start at right tackle, which is something he had been building toward all training camp. How the depth chart looks when the Chiefs return to practice Monday will be worth monitoring, because Saturday was not a good showing.

He essentially whiffed on two pass sets, with one resulting in a strip sack and the other forcing an incomplete pass, with Justin Fields needing to get rid of the ball quicker than anticipated. He graded out as the worst pass blocker on the field according to PFF with a 33.4, allowing two pressures in 11 true pass sets.

The one silver lining, if you can call it that: Jaylon Moore graded out second-worst on the team with a PFF pass blocking grade of 40.7, so neither tackle distinguished himself Saturday night.

Melvin Smith, Cornerback

It is somewhat unclear how realistic it is for cornerback Melvin Smith to make the 53-man roster when cutdown day arrives a week from now. He seems like a prime candidate to slip through waivers and onto the practice squad.

That said, he was treated as more of a contributor than veteran Kristian Fulton last week, which made Saturday's performance more consequential. He graded out worse than any other defensive back, allowing four catches for 38 yards on four targets.

The names doing the damage, Ko Kieft, Kameron Johnson, Dean Patterson, and Eric Rivers, are not exactly household names. That is an uneasy sign when the opening regular season assignment would be Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton. A four-phase special teamer was his likely role anyway, but he did not look remotely ready for a defensive role.

Jared Wiley, Tight End

Tight end Jared Wiley was technically third on the team with two catches and 15 receiving yards, but he was targeted four times and had a drop. He looks smooth catching passes in open space, but Travis Kelce and Noah Gray already fill that role.

What the Chiefs need from a third tight end is someone willing to do the dirty work, and Wiley has not shown that.

For the second straight week, second-year undrafted free agent Jake Briningstool collected three catches for 28 or more yards and has shown solid open-field blocking as well. Briningstool is not a road grader either, but he is contributing more to the offense.

Wiley's roster spot will depend heavily on how the Chiefs construct the rest of the 53. If they keep four running backs or push toward seven wide receivers, given how Royals, Nikko Remigio, and Andrew Armstrong have shown specific skill sets, four tight ends may be off the table.

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