The most exciting stories in the NFL happen after the draft, not during it, when players rejected by 32 NFL teams seek revenge. They can choose their next team and sometimes get more pay than late-round picks. So, which undrafted players will make the Chiefs’ final roster?
With a roster full of high-priced players on both sides of the ball, the Kansas City Chiefs must stay competitive using less expensive players. Even with a rising salary cap, General Manager Brett Veach needs to be both aggressive and cautious in roster building.
His success in the NFL Draft since 2022 has been unmatched. While he has selected day-one starters in each draft class, they generally become more costly to keep as they age. For example, former sixth-round Guard Trey Smith just became the highest-paid guard in the NFL.
So, how do you balance the roster?
You sign quality undrafted free agents that can impact the roster at price points that don’t harm the championship run.
After the draft, the Chiefs added several players who might make the final roster. In my view, there’s one lock and three hopefuls.
Clemson Tight End Jake Briningstool is the top prospect among the Chiefs’ 2025 UDFA class. He was arguably one of the best at his position in college football last season. However, his name wasn’t called during the draft.
However, shortly after it ended, he received a call from Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid, who successfully recruited him to Kansas City. The team paid a hefty signing bonus to Briningstool, but with comparisons to a young Travis Kelce, he was worth every penny.
With Jared Wiley returning from an ACL injury, Briningstool has the chance to make the most of his opportunity. With Kelce, likely playing his final year in the NFL, and Noah Gray serving as the steady backup, Reid will probably carry four tight ends.
If he can adjust to the NFL speed and his quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, he could contribute this season in a variety of tight end formations.
The Chiefs have invested significant resources in their defensive line, so when they signed Penn State Defensive Tackle Coziah Izzard, they acquired a capable player with talent. Yes, he needs to add a few pounds to his frame, but he’s a playmaker, penetrator, and disruptor.
Steve Spagnuolo prefers to rotate his defensive line based on the game’s flow, so having dependable players he can rely on is crucial to his defense. Izzard fits that description, and with coaching, he could earn a spot on the final roster.
The ultimate goal for a team like the Chiefs is to find a potential long-term starter in the post-draft class, and they might have achieved that with Washington State Tackle Esa Pole. Ultimately, he could become the team’s starting right tackle in 2026.
It’s clear this is Jawaan Taylor’s final year in Kansas City, and Pole could step right into that role. The fact that he wasn’t drafted puzzles me. I had him as a fourth-round pick, and he continued to slide. Luckily, the Chiefs acted quickly to get him into a Chiefs uniform.
Now, he needs a year of seasoning and might bounce between the practice squad, but I believe he will make the final roster. His talent is exceptional, and other teams will notice.
Two other players with a chance are Florida wide receiver Elijah Badger and Tennessee safety Will Brooks. Both are considered long shots, but it depends on injuries and how Reid and his coaches build their roster depth.
Badger faces a more challenging path, but Brooks might still make the roster depending on whether the Chiefs try to sign a veteran safety during training camp.
