In what will be remembered as the most prominent Chiefs-related news of Aug. 26, 2025, the cuts have arrived, and the roster now stands at 53.
And here’s the first takeaway:
Pretty good team.
OK, but really, let’s get into the weeds of the depths of the Chiefs’ initial 53-man roster, because the depths of the roster have played some important roles during this dynasty. Damien Williams was probably a runner-up MVP choice in Super Bowl LIV against the 49ers. Ten rookies participated in the Super Bowl LVII win over the Eagles.
The bottom of the roster can have a top-of-line effect on the outcomes. And it draws the initial focus of my reactions to the Chiefs’ cutdown-day decisions:
1. The last cut
If this was a reaction to a 54-man roster instead of a 53-man roster, we’d probably spend some time marveling at the great story of offensive tackle Esa Pole.
Alas, it is not.
Pole, an undrafted free agent out of Washington State, was the Chiefs’ most difficult cut. He impressed in the preseason. Pole did not play football until college, yet he darn near made an NFL roster.
Well, maybe he still will make an NFL roster.
Several teams reached out to Pole after he went undrafted and before he elected to sign with Kansas City. After all, he did not allow a sack in his senior season at Washington State, per PFF data.
The Chiefs would like to have Pole back on the practice squad, but he must clear waivers first, and that’s far from a certainty. It’s what makes his cut a bit of a surprise — knowing the odds of getting him back will be tough.
Ultimately, the Chiefs elected to keep Wanya Morris instead. Morris is more experienced and probably a more polished player today. But Pole’s potential — and room for growth — give him a higher ceiling.
I’m a bit surprised the Chiefs didn’t opt for the potential, given it’s the fourth tackle on the roster, a spot they can more afford to prioritize upside. If there’s a player they’re most likely to regret cutting, it’s Pole. They’d probably even agree. It’s part of the risk.
2. The final WR decision
The most impressive play a Chiefs wide receiver made this preseason came on the only throw Patrick Mahomes made in the initial two exhibitions.
A back-shoulder catch for a touchdown put Jason Brownlee in the public conversation to crack the roster. But the fact he’d mimicked that catch in training camp is what gave the Chiefs a tough decision on the final spot in the wide receiver room: Brownlee or Nikko Remigio?
As it turns out, Chiefs settled on a third option: How about both?
The Chiefs kept eight wide receivers.
Eight!
If you’ve been to this space before, you know their recent history of keeping seven wide receivers has received some pushback here — the sixth receiver rarely gets on the field, let alone the seventh.
They had no plans to return to six, but how did they increase the number to eight?
Well, they are evidently protecting themselves for the uncertainty regarding the suspension for Rashee Rice — both the suspension’s length and the timing of its arrival.
Rice has a suspension hearing scheduled for Sept. 30, but he could settle before the season, leaving the Chiefs wanting to be prepared for the potential of an immediate absence.
3. The RB room
On the face of it, the running back room has endured more turnover in 365 days than any other position group — only Isiah Pacheco made both last year’s initial 53-man roster and this year’s 53-man roster.
But has it been enough turnover?
The Chiefs kept four running backs (Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, Elijah Mitchell and rookie Brashard Smith). But they still don’t have a clear answer — or a great answer, I’ll say — to a question that looms large in this offense:
Who is their third-down back?
At its best, the Chiefs’ passing offense involves the running back. On the 2022 championship team, Jerick McKinnon caught 56 passes for 512 yards and nine touchdowns. Even a year ago, Samaje Perine had 28 catches, and 15 of them resulted in a first down. Among running backs who occupied that role full-time, Perine led the NFL with 11.5 yards per catch.
It’s not obvious who on the roster can assume that role.
4. The surprise veterans cut
Out of the gates early Tuesday, all of The Star’s roster projections were already imperfect.
The Chiefs cut veteran safety Mike Edwards in the morning.
It’s not as though Edwards was in line to start, and the 29-year-old was out of work for a portion of last season. But he brought by far the most experience to a youthful room to a room that lost its leader last year, Justin Reid. Without Reid, Edwards seemed like an important voice in the room, even if he couldn’t match Reid’s skill-set.
They’ll be young there instead. The Chiefs’ four safeties are fourth-year Bryan Cook, second-year Jaden Hicks, third-year Chamarri Conner and second-year Chris Roland-Wallace. Conner and Roland-Wallace also play nickel cornerback as frequently as safety.
• Days after signing Derrick Nnadi, the Chiefs also cut interior lineman Mike Pennel, a run-stopper who had played almost exclusively with the starters during training camp. He doesn’t have to clear waivers, so he’ll have the option to look for work elsewhere.
• You might have been similarly surprised to see tight end Robert Tonyan let go, but I’m told the plan is to bring him back to Kansas City. As a veteran, Tonyan is not subject to waivers. It’s a procedural move that allowed the Chiefs to stuff eight receivers on the initial roster, without fear of losing Brownlee or Remigio, who would have had to clear waivers.