Matt Araiza

"The Kansas City Chiefs have finished training camp and played two exhibition games. The Arrowhead Pride staff has been locked into the entire preseason process, publishing a 53-man roster prediction after one week of camp.Here’s an updated prediction with just one preseason game left:Offense (26)Quarterbacks (3): Patrick Mahomes, Justin Fields and Garrett NussmeierNO CHANGEI’ve been confident in rookie Garrett Nussmeier’s ability since he performed well in camp. His preseason performances have only solidified his spot on the roster.Running backs (4): Kenneth Walker, Brashard Smith, Emari Demercado and Emmett JohnsonNO CHANGEI’ll repeat the opening line from the initial update: “This group feels pretty set in stone as the team’s backfield for this season.”However, there’s reason to believe rookie Emmett Johnson is higher on the backfield totem pole than I initially believed. Each back is going to have a role on the team, but Johnson looks like the obvious choice to take the lion’s share of the reps if starter Kenneth Walker is ever unavailable.Wide receivers (6): Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Tyquan Thornton, Cyrus Allen, Jalen Royals and Andrew ArmstrongNO CHANGENikko Remigio, the team’s starting kick and punt returner currently, is looming over a group that looks better by the day. I believe it would be a mistake to cut one of these 6 players in favor of keeping Remigio, especially when Brashard Smith appears to be a quality option to return kicks.Tight ends (4): Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, Jared Wiley and Jake BriningstoolCHANGE: Jake Briningstool makes the cutThere’s a case to be made that the Chiefs’ reserve tight ends are not an important enough group to roster three tight ends behind the legendary Travis Kelce, who will take the bulk of the snaps this year, whether the team’s winning or losing (proved by his reliability down the stretch of last year’s lost season).However, Briningstool has made enough of a statement in training camp and the preseason to deserve a spot on an NFL 53-man roster. With the future of the tight end position in question, the young pass catcher from Clemson could be a bigger part of the offense in future seasons.Offensive linemen (9): LT Joshua Simmons, LG Kingsley Suamataia, C Creed Humphrey, RG Trey Smith, RT Jaylon Moore, Kahlil Benson, Esa Pole, Hunter Nourzad and Mike CaliendoNO CHANGEWe still don’t know exactly what the starting offensive line will look like in Week 1, but I have a hard time seeing the unit shape up any other way.While the team tries to figure out if rookie Kahlil Benson can play guard, it’s worth keeping around interior backups like Nourzad and Caliendo, who have been with the team for multiple years.Defense (24)Defensive tackles (4): Chris Jones, Khyiris Tonga, Peter Woods and Marcus HarrisCHANGE: Marcus Harris in place of Omarr Norman-Lott on PUPAs the season draws near, the realization of second-year defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott’s recovery timeline has hit. He has been on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list for the entirety of training camp, and there’s a chance he starts the season still on the list. That would force him to miss at least the first four games of the season.If we project that to be the case, the answer for who the Chiefs’ fourth defensive tackle would be is easy: second-year player Marcus Harris from Auburn has flashed throughout camp and in the preseason, especially Week 2.Defensive ends (5): George Karlaftis, Ashton Gillotte, Felix Anudike-Uzomah, R Mason Thomas and Emmanuel OgbahCHANGE: Emmanuel Ogbah in place of Tyreke SmithWhen I first started drawing up a 53-man roster prediction earlier this summer, I had “veteran defensive end” written in as the fifth player for the edge defenders. The signing of Ogbah always seemed like a natural move to make before the season begins.Linebackers (5): Nick Bolton, Drue Tranquill, Jeffrey Bassa, Cooper McDonald and Jack CochraneNO CHANGEThere’s nothing to change here, although it is interesting that veteran linebacker Cole Christiansen has been so involved in the Chiefs’ starting special teams this preseason. That might be because Cochrane is playing more with the starting defense in place of linebacker Drue Tranquill.Former Chiefs linebacker and special-teams player Cam Jones was also signed recently, but there’s only one spot for the special-teams-only reserve in this group, and Cochrane has seemingly earned it.Cornerbacks (5): Mansoor Delane, Nohl Williams, L’Jarius Sneed, Jadon Canady and Kevin KnowlesCHANGES: Cut (or trade) Kristian FultonKevin Knowles in place of Kader KohouThere has not been any evidence that veteran Kristian Fulton has any kind of role in the Chiefs’ defense through two preseason games. He has been with the second-team defense through camp and the exhibition games, even playing behind Melvin Smith Jr. in the opening exhibition. The team would immediately save $5 million by cutting him, which is probably more likely than finding a trade partner.The Chiefs guaranteed Kohou $1.8 million this season in an attempt to find a reliable slot defender for the Chiefs’ defense. In the preseason, it appears safety Christian Roland-Wallace has manned that spot in the first-team defense, and rookie Jadon Canady has flashed as seemingly a slot-only defender so far.Kohou seems to be lost in the mix, and with Knowles’ key role in the Chiefs’ special teams, the second-year defensive back from Florida State seems to be in line to make the team over the newcoming veteran.Safeties (5): Alohi Gilman, Chamarri Conner, Christian Roland-Wallace, Jaden Hicks and Xavier NwankpaNO CHANGEThis group seems pretty straightforward, especially now that third-year safety Jaden Hicks has come on strong in preseason games, potentially strengthening the depth of the young, fresh-faced secondary in 2026.Specialists (3)Placekicker Harrison Butker, punter Matt Araiza and long snapper James WinchesterThe usual suspects."

"The Kansas City Chiefs lost the second preseason game of the 2026 campaign with a 16-15 defeat at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Starting quarterback Justin Fields completed nine of 12 passes for 64 yards, but was sacked twice, including a strip sack. Running backs Brashard Smith and Emmett Johnson combined for 62 yards over 13 carries, including the team’s first touchdown of the preseason by Johnson. Chiefs pass catchers were led by wide receiver Jalen Royals, who caught six passes for 51 yards.On defense, defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah, defensive tackle Amari McNeill and safety Jaden Hicks each earned a sack. Rookie safety DeShon Singleton led the team with seven total tackles.First QuarterThe Chiefs opened the game with Justin Fields under center. Two quick handoffs to Kenneth Walker gained just four yards before a short completion to Cyrus Allen resulted in a quick three-and-out.Tampa Bay came out run-heavy on its opening possession and picked up one first down before an unnecessary roughness penalty put the Buccaneers behind the sticks. Kansas City got the stop on third-and-long to force a punt.The Chiefs’ second possession featured short completions to Jalen Royals and Tyquan Thornton, but an incompletion on third-and-4 ended another three-and-out. Fields faced pressure on all three of his dropbacks.Kansas City’s defense responded with a three-and-out of its own. Jeffrey Bassa had tight coverage on first down, rookie Mansoor Delane disrupted a wide receiver screen on second down and R. Mason Thomas blew up a screen on third-and-long to force another punt.The Chiefs finally picked up their first, first down of the game on their third possession behind a strong run and third-down catch from Emari Demercado. The drive stalled when Fields was sacked by linebacker Anthony Nelson on third-and-short, forcing another punt.The Chiefs’ defense continued its strong start as Felix Anudike-Uzomah recorded a sack on second down before generating pressure again on third down to force another Tampa Bay three-and-out.Second QuarterThe Chiefs’ offense finally found some rhythm to open the second quarter. Fields connected with Jalen Royals for 9 yards, Armstrong for 14 and Jake Briningstool for 15, while adding a 15-yard scramble to set up first-and-goal. The drive stalled after Fields took a 20-yard sack on third down, but Harrison Butker connected on a 45-yard field goal to give Kansas City a 3-0 lead.Tampa Bay quickly picked up a first down on a 16-yard completion from Jake Browning to Josh Williams, but a pair of false start penalties put the Buccaneers behind the sticks and eventually forced a punt.Garrett Nussmeier took over at quarterback and immediately got the offense moving. He connected with Jared Wiley for 11 yards, Briningstool for a first down and Royals for gains of 12 and 7 yards before another first-down completion to Emmett Johnson. The drive eventually stalled, but Butker drilled a 58-yard field goal to extend the Chiefs’ lead to 6-0.The Buccaneers opened their next possession with an 11-yard completion to Kameron Johnson. On the following play, safety Jaden Hicks came free on a blitz, sacking Browning and forcing a fumble. Tampa Bay recovered but remained behind the sticks before eventually failing on fourth-and-5.With three seconds remaining in the half, Kansas City sent Butker out for a 69-yard field goal attempt. Butker drilled it down the middle to send the Chiefs into halftime with a 9-0 lead.Third QuarterThird QuarterBrowning opened the second half with a couple of nice completions, including a 22-yard pass to Johnson. The Chiefs’ defense settled in from there, with Amari McNeill recording a sack on third down to force a punt.Kansas City’s offense managed just one yard on its opening possession of the half before quickly punting the ball back to Tampa Bay.The Buccaneers came out firing on their second possession, with Jalon Daniels connecting with Deangelo Patterson for 24 yards before adding a 10-yard run to move into the red zone. Four plays later, Daniels found Ko Kieft for a 2-yard touchdown, cutting the Chiefs’ lead to 9-7.Kansas City answered with a productive drive of its own. Nussmeier connected with Jalen Royals for 17 yards before a pass interference penalty on third down helped move the Chiefs into the red zone. Emmett Johnson finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run, extending Kansas City’s lead to 15-7.Fourth QuarterOn a drive that began late in the third quarter, the Buccaneers effectively moved the ball with a mix of runs and passes. The drive stalled at the Chiefs’ 28-yard line, and Porter connected on a 46-yard field goal to cut Kansas City’s lead to 15-10.Chris Oladokun took over at quarterback for the Chiefs in the fourth quarter. After Brashard Smith opened the possession with a 9-yard run, Oladokun was intercepted to quickly end the drive.Tampa Bay took advantage of the short field, needing just six plays to score on a 1-yard touchdown run by Sean Tucker. The Buccaneers failed on the two-point conversion but took their first lead of the game, 16-15.Kansas City leaned heavily on the running game on its next possession, with Smith gaining 32 yards on the ground. Oladokun added a few short completions and used his legs to help move the Chiefs into field goal range, but Harrison Butker missed the 43-yard attempt wide right.The Buccaneers took over following the missed field goal and picked up two first downs before taking three consecutive kneel-downs to run out the clock and secure the 16-15 win.Special teams notesKicker Harrison Butker made three of his four field-goal attempts, hitting from 45, 58 and 69 yards — then missed a 43-yard kick in the second half. He also missed a point-after attempt.Rookie Emmett Johnson had 2 kick returns for 51 yards, including a 27-yard return.Punter Matt Araiza’s longest of four punts traveled 58 yards."

"The Kansas City Chiefs lost the first preseason game of the 2026 campaign to the Los Angeles Rams by a score of 20-12.Rookie running back Emmett Johnson led the Chiefs in rushing with 59 yards over 12 attempts, while seventh-round pick rookie quarterback Garrett Nussmeier completed 13 of 19 passes for 98 yards. Second-year tight end Jake Briningstool led Chiefs receivers with 29 receiving yards over three receptions.Third-year safety Jaden Hicks led the defense with seven total tackles and added a pass breakup to stop an early drive in the red zone.Kicker Harrison Butker was the only scorer of the day for Kansas City, making all four of his field-goal attempts.First QuarterThe Chiefs’ defense opened the game by forcing a three-and-out, capped by a third-down pass breakup from Nohl Williams.Kansas City’s offense picked up a quick first down on a pass from Justin Fields to Brashard Smith, but the drive stalled after an offensive pass interference penalty on Jalen Royals.The Rams moved 73 yards on their second possession before the Chiefs’ defense tightened up inside the 10-yard line. Safety Jaden Hicks broke up a third-down pass in the end zone, forcing Los Angeles to settle for a field goal. Taking an early 3-0 lead.On the Chiefs’ next possession, Fields connected with Armstrong for 17 yards, picking up another early first down. Once again, a penalty put Kansas City behind the sticks, eventually leading to another punt.Second QuarterThe Chiefs’ defense opened the second quarter with another three-and-out. Felix Anudike-Uzomah created pressure off the edge that resulted in a holding penalty, which Kansas City declined before the Rams punted.Kansas City turned to rookie quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who got the offense moving. A holding penalty wiped out a touchdown run from rookie running back Emmett Johnson, forcing the Chiefs to settle for a Harrison Butker field goal to tie the game 3-3.Rookie quarterback Ty Simpson used a couple of rollout passes to move the chains for Los Angeles. Safety Jaden Hicks helped halt the drive with a tackle for loss followed by a quick tackle on a short completion. Harrison Mevis connected on a 40-yard field goal to give the Rams a 6-3 lead.Nussmeier responded with another productive drive, connecting with Cyrus Allen for 10 yards, Johnson for 11 and finding Jake Briningstool on a well-executed tight end screen. Butker finished the drive with a 35-yard field goal, sending the game into halftime tied 6-6.Third QuarterThe Chiefs came out of the halftime break and quickly went three-and-out.After giving up an 11-yard run on the second play of the Rams’ ensuing possession, Kansas City’s defense settled in and forced a punt after three short gains.The Chiefs leaned completely on the running game on their next possession, handing the ball off 11 times for 54 yards without attempting a pass. Kansas City lined up to go for it on fourth-and-1, but a false start by Hunter Nourzad pushed the offense back. Harrison Butker came on and drilled a 59-yard field goal to give the Chiefs a 9-6 lead.The Rams opened their next possession with a holding penalty, and the Chiefs’ defense took advantage of the setback to force a quick three-and-out.Fourth QuarterThe Chiefs opened the drive by giving up a 13-yard sack. Facing third-and-21, Nussmeier took a deep shot downfield that fell through the arms of Jason Brownlee.The Rams followed the drop with a 40-yard punt return to the Chiefs’ 23-yard line. Los Angeles quickly took advantage of the short field, with Ty Simpson finding Dean Connors for a 9-yard touchdown to give the Rams a 13-9 lead early in the fourth quarter.Chris Oladokun took over at quarterback, and his first pass was initially ruled an interception before replay assist overturned the call. Oladokun followed with a 15-yard scramble, but the drive eventually stalled and Kansas City punted.Simpson came back out firing, completing passes of 22, 13, 23 and 16 yards before connecting with Connors for his second touchdown of the game, extending the Rams’ lead to 20-9.Oladokun answered with a productive drive of his own, including completions of 13 and 27 yards to running back Jaydn Ott. The drive stalled at the Rams’ 8-yard line, and Harrison Butker connected from 26 yards to cut the deficit to 20-12.After Kansas City’s onside kick attempt failed, Rams running back Jordan Waters broke off a 26-yard run before Los Angeles finished the game with a series of kneel-downs.Special teams notesKicker Harrison Butker made all four of his field-goal attempts, including a 59-yard kick.Punter Matt Araiza landed three of his five punts inside the 20-yard line.Rookie running back E.J. Smith had a notable kick return that gained 30 yards.Wide receiver Nikko Remigio led all punt returners with a 19-yard gain on an early punt."

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