Getty Kansas City Chiefs running back Ronald Jones II in 2019.
Week 1 is only four days away and the Kansas City Chiefs are all set for their road matchup with the Arizona Cardinals.
The first step is determining which players will actually be on the field this Sunday. Although NFL rosters employ 53 men, seven of those athletes must be declared inactive on game day.
One of this week’s Chiefs inactives is expected to be a big-name free agent signing who just made the roster by the skin of his teeth, running back Ronald Jones II.
Chiefs Writer Predicts Ronald Jones Scratch vs. Cardinals
Chiefs Wire media member Charles Goldman detailed the KC running back room ahead of Week 1 and the obvious odd-man-out was Jones.
“The Kansas City Chiefs have four talented running backs on the 53-man roster — Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Jerick McKinnon, Ronald Jones and Isiah Pacheco,” wrote Goldman. “With the need for seven inactive players for games, it’s highly unlikely that all four players will be active come Sunday.”
Per head coach Andy Reid, the beat reporter relayed that special teams will be the deciding factor for who suits up in Arizona.
“Of the team’s four running backs, Pacheco (15) and McKinnon (8) were the only two players to play special teams snaps during the preseason,” Goldman continued. “Edwards-Helaire and Jones didn’t play a single snap on special teams. Jones has just 98 career snaps on special teams and hasn’t played an NFL snap on special teams since 2019.”
The rookie, Pacheco, is also expected to return kicks for Kansas City to start the season. Goldman backed McKinnon’s spot based on him playing “37% of the special teams snaps” for the Chiefs last year.
All of those factors helped Goldmanconcluden that Jones will be one of the seven inactive players in Week 1.
He finished the thought: “That leaves Edwards-Helaire and Jones — and we all know who is winning that battle. Right now, it looks as if Jones will start the season as a healthy scratch unless there is a late injury in the practice week or the team decides to go a different route with its inactive players [at other positions].”
Candidates for Remaining 6 Chiefs Inactives
The Chiefs could several of ways with their inactive players this week but a few should be no-brainers. For example, one of the three quarterbacks will be on this list and that will most likely be third-stringer Shane Buechele.
Jones sounds like a smart selection as well, leaving five remaining inactives to determine. Of course, that number drops to four if Kansas City chooses to enter Week 1 with 52 men on their roster — the number they currently have — but assuming linebacker Elijah Lee dresses against the Cardinals as anticipated, there will be five more on the way.
Chiefs will carry TE Blake Bell (hip) on initial 53-player roster and release LB Elijah Lee, according to a source.
Lee doesn’t have to go through waivers as a vested veteran. I’m told the Chiefs will place Bell on IR after 53 set, and then bring back Lee to roster.
One area the depth seems strong enough is at defensive end. Joshua Kaindoh had a nice summer but both he and Malik Herring don’t need to dress as the fifth and sixth edge rushers. I’ll give the edge to Herring for now and say that Kaindoh is scratched.
Another similar move should come at offensive tackle. Rookie Darian Kinnard feels like the player that’s least prepared for this opportunity, but he also provides versatility as a potential guard. That could lead to the inactivation of Prince Tega Wanogho but I’ll stick with Kinnard as the fourth prediction.
Similarly, another rookie like Joshua Williams or Jaylen Watson could be scratched at cornerback. This one is a toss-up — draft status would point to Watson but Williams had some struggles later in the preseason.
The final two selections are the toughest, as always. It could be another defensive lineman like Herring or a backup D-tackle (Khalen Saunders or Tershawn Wharton). An injury could come into play. Coach Reid may even go light on the offensive line and dress Nick Allegretti and Geron Christian Sr. as the only backups.
Or perhaps, Lee never gets that promotion and KC rolls into AZ with 52 players.