Five Storylines to Watch in Chiefs Preseason Week 2 Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Last week's preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams was informative, but it came with significant caveats. The Rams are known for not showing anything meaningful in the preseason, and they lived up to that billing.

Saturday night in Tampa Bay is a bit of a different animal. Head coach Todd Bowles typically plays his starters in preseason games, which means the Chiefs will face a legitimate first-team defense for the first time this summer.

Here are the five storylines worth watching most closely.

Jaylon Moore and Kahlil Benson Both Get a Real Look

The right tackle competition has been one of the most compelling subplots of the entire summer, and Saturday night is the first time it gets a genuine evaluation. With Josh Simmons sitting out due to a back injury, Moore slides over to left tackle, leaving Benson at right tackle with the first-team offense for what figures to be his most significant run yet in a Chiefs uniform.

Moore playing left tackle does not remove him from the competition, and it will be interesting to watch the two duking it out for the starting right tackle spot at the same time. When Reid says Fields will play a quarter and a half, that typically means the starting offensive line is out there for the duration of that stretch.

If Fields has time to throw and the running backs are finding big holes on either side, the tackle play on both edges will be noticed. Moore held his own in limited opportunities last week, and Benson did not allow a pressure on four pass-blocking snaps at guard against the Rams. Neither of those sample sizes is large enough to draw conclusions. Saturday night, that could change.

Peter Woods and R Mason Thomas Face a Sterner Test

The defensive line depth just became considerably more important. Gillotte suffered a ruptured plantar fascia this week, and while Reid has expressed optimism that he can return by Week 1 against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football, that is not a guarantee. The Chiefs need answers along the defensive line, to say the least.

Thomas and Woods received mixed reviews in preseason Week 1. Thomas showed the speed-rush ability that made him an intriguing second-round prospect and flashed some fight in the run game, which was a knock on him coming out of Oklahoma given his 6-foot-2, 249-pound frame. If he can replicate that against a starting Tampa Bay offensive line, the arrow is pointing up heading into the regular season.

Woods had a harder time against the Rams while dealing with a minor ankle issue and struggled to hold up against double teams. Whether he is lined up next to the starters or not on Saturday, not getting pushed back after the snap is the baseline expectation. It is difficult to dominate at defensive tackle unless your name is Chris Jones, but showing up and holding ground will go a long way toward establishing his readiness for September.

Mansoor Delane Makes His Debut

This is the one Chiefs Kingdom has been waiting for since draft night. Mansoor Delane was cleared for full contact when the team returned to camp Monday following the Rams game, put in a full week of practice, and should be set to make his professional debut Saturday night. He will line up across from second-year cornerback Nohl Williams, giving the Chiefs two physical, press-man corners on the outside who could define this secondary for years to come.

Delane is the highest pick the Chiefs have used since selecting Eric Fischer first overall in 2013, following a majorly disappointing 6-11 season. The investment was significant, and with Baker Mayfield set to make his preseason debut under center for Tampa Bay, Delane will be tested against a real NFL quarterback throwing to a talented receiving group.

If Delane is going to guard the likes of Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton in Week 1 against Denver, getting live reps in this environment is the kind of preparation he needs. The shoulder held him back all summer. Saturday is his first chance to show why Brett Veach gave up a haul to move up and get him.

Can Last Week's Standouts Do It Again?

Emmett Johnson, Jaden Hicks, Cyrus Allen, Andrew Armstrong, and Garrett Nussmeier all turned heads against the Rams. Even Jalen Royals' two catches were encouraging to see. The question is whether the coaching staff has seen enough from any of them to vault them up the depth chart, or whether they need to see it again.

It seems fairly clear what the Chiefs have in Johnson and Allen at this point. Johnson's performance last week, combined with the praise Allen has garnered throughout camp, makes both of them difficult to dismiss.

The others may need another showing. Hicks has perhaps the most on the line of anyone in this group. He is entering his third year in the league, and Alohi Gilman and Chamarri Conner both sit above him in the pecking order. With Conner sitting out Saturday due to injury, Hicks may never have a better opportunity to get himself firmly into Spagnuolo's good graces. A repeat performance against Mayfield and a starting Tampa Bay offense would go a long way toward securing a meaningful role in 2026.

Who Can Bounce Back After a Quiet Week One?

The flip side of last week's standouts is the group that either underperformed or simply did not stand out enough to make a statement. Saturday is their opportunity to change that narrative.

Jeffrey Bassa is the first name that comes to mind. The Chiefs brass thought enough of him to take him in the fifth round of the 2025 draft, and the former safety has the range to be a factor in Spagnuolo's defense. Last week, he struggled with biting too hard on play action, which left him out of position on multiple occasions. That is exactly the kind of mistake that keeps a linebacker in the special teams ace category rather than earning defensive snaps. With Jack Cochrane sitting out due to a knee injury, Bassa should see extra reps earlier in the game, so opportunity should be there.

Emari Demercado did not see his first offensive snap until the fourth quarter last week, which raised more questions than it answered. Whether that was because he is already a lock for the roster or because the Chiefs were quietly testing whether three running backs could free up a roster spot elsewhere remains unclear. How early he enters the game Saturday will be telling.

You can apply the same logic to Kristian Fulton. With Delane back in the fold and the mystery surrounding L'Jarius Sneed's availability and workload, now is the time for Fulton to seize his opportunity and make the easy decision to keep him. The Buccaneers game is where both of them either solidify their spots or let the doubt grow.

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