Latest Chiefs 53-man roster projection after 2026 NFL preseason

The Kansas City Chiefs are set to part with nearly one-third of their roster in the coming days after finishing the 2026 NFL preseason with a 9-9 tie against the Seattle Seahawks on August 28.

While fans can be certain that all of Kansas City's stars will remain on the Chiefs' roster as the team looks ahead to the preseason, many second and third-string standouts from training camp and the preseason may see their time in Western Missouri come to an abrupt end before the league's roster deadline on August 30.

General manager Brett Veach will cut Kansas City's roster from 90 to 53 players over the next few days, and the Chiefs' front office may even elect to add new talent via trade, if circumstances allow.

Take a look at Chiefs Wire's official prediction

for Kansas City's 53-man roster after the 2026 NFL preseason:

Quarterbacks (3)

• Starter: Patrick Mahomes
• Backups: Justin Fields, Garrett Nussmeier
• What to know: It is likely that Kansas City will only keep two quarterbacks, but I have a hunch that Andy Reid will insist on a third being rostered, given that Mahomes is returning to action on an accelerated recovery timeline. Nussmeier was under center for the Chiefs in all four quarters of Kansas City's preseason finale, and may have shown just enough promise to beat out Fields for the No. 2 spot behind Mahomes.

Wide receivers (6)

• Starters: Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy
• Backups: Tyquan Thornton, Cyrus Allen, Jalen Royals, Omari Evans
• What to know: Veteran wideout Andrew Armstrong nearly beat out rookie Omari Evans for the final spot on the Chiefs' wide receiver depth chart, but I think the first-year speed merchant's upside will be too much for Kansas City's coaching staff to pass on. Thornton and Allen are safer than Royals, but I'm fairly confident all three in this trio will make the final cut.

Running backs (4)

• Starter: Kenneth Walker III
• Backups: Brashard Smith, Emmett Johnson, Emari Demercado
• What to know: Smith and Johnson performed admirably in the preseason, and while Demercado is still something of an unknown commodity, I can't imagine that Kansas City would enter the 2026 regular season with less than four running backs on its roster.

Tight ends (3)

• Starter: Travis Kelce
• Backups: Noah Gray, Jake Briningstool
• What to know: The Chiefs opt to keep just three tight ends and part with Jared Wiley, who was selected by Kansas City in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Briningstool should prove to be worth the investment as a developmental third-stringer, but Brett Veach would be wise to monitor the waiver wire and free agency to see if he can acquire another pass-catcher to pair with Kelce.

Offensive line (10)

• Starters: Josh Simmons, Kingsley Suamataia, Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, Jaylon Moore
• Backups: Kahlil Benson, Joshua Ezeudu, Esa Pole, Mike Caliendo, Hunter Nourzad
• What to know: This is another position that may see its depth augmented with a savvy trade, signing, or waiver claim before the regular season. There aren't any surprises among the Chiefs' starting front five in this prediction, but anything is possible on the second string of Kansas City's offensive line depth chart.

Cornerbacks (5)

• Starters: Mansoor Delane, L'Jarius Sneed, Nohl Williams
• Backups: Chris Roland-Wallace, Kristian Fulton
• What to know: This outstanding group of cornerbacks will buoy the Chiefs' defense all season. Delane, Sneed, and Williams will play the bulk of Kansas City's snaps at cornerback while Roland-Wallace and Fulton provide Steve Spagnuolo with some flexibility to play other roles in the Chiefs' secondary.

Safeties (5)

• Starters: Alohi Gilman, Chamarri Conner, Jaden Hicks
• Backups: Xavier Nwankpa, Jadon Canady
• What to know: I listed three starters because I expect that Conner and Hicks will functionally split time beside Gilman with Kansas City's first-string defense. Either way, this is another rock-solid unit that should have no problem improving on the production achieved by the Chiefs' safeties last season.

Linebackers (5)

• Starters: Nick Bolton, Drue Tranquill
• Backups: Jeffrey Bassa, Cole Christiansen, Cam Jones
• What to know: Kansas City's linebackers aren't the most athletic bunch but should have no problem patrolling the middle of Steve Spagnuolo's defense this season. Bolton and Tranquill have tons of experience, which should make up for the unit's utter lack of speed and pass-coverage ability.

Defensive line (9)

• Starters: George Karlaftis, Chris Jones, Khyiris Tonga, R Mason Thomas
• Backups: Peter Woods, Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Ashton Gillotte, VJ Anthony, Marcus Harris
• What to know: It is hard to tell exactly who won the starting spot at defensive end opposite Karlaftis, but this combination of linemen should give the Chiefs all the beef they need to bully opposing blockers this season. But, if a big-name pass rusher becomes available on the trade market, expect Brett Veach to be active in finding another talented defender to add to the mix here.

Specialists (3)

• Kicker: Harrison Butker
• Punter: Matt Araiza
• Long Snapper: James Winchester
• What to know: No surprises here as Butker, Araiza, and Winchester round out Kansas City's 53-man roster.

This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Latest Chiefs 53-man roster projection after 2026 NFL preseason