The Kansas City Chiefs have made the tough roster calls. After a trying preseason, where many Chiefs players sustained injuries, head coach Andy Reid & Co. have finalized the 53-man roster that will open the 2026 season in September.

As coach Reid noted, “This is, like, the hardest time of the year for coaches, personnel guys and players, for that matter, because you’ve got to make these cuts coming up. These guys have busted their tails through the hot, humid weather at training camp and sleeping in a dorm for you, then coming out and playing in these preseason games. We appreciate it as a coaching staff and as an organization, we appreciate the effort these fellas put in. At the same time, we’re there to support.” 

While the deadline for Sunday’s roster cut to 53 players was 6 p.m. ET, waived players on the market are still available for other teams to claim by Monday 1 p.m. ET.

Let’s look at the initial 53-man Chiefs roster and the players who have been waived by the team, according to the information from the Kansas City Chiefs’ official website.

Quarterback

• Three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes and Justin Fields were obvious additions to the team. While the veteran is nursing an ACL injury, Fields will likely start as QB2 in the first week of the regular season. 
• Garrett Nussmeier’s 198-yard performance against the Seahawks in the preseason was enough to get him the final spot in the QB room.
• Chris Oladokun was waived with an injury designation. If no team claims him, his season with the Chiefs is over. 

Running Back

• Walker remains the obvious choice for RB1, but Emari Demercado’s omission from the final roster seems like a questionable decision. 
• He was bright early on in the training camp, but the team grew confident with Smith and Johnson’s performance later in the preseason. Still, Demarcado was a solid pass-blocking back. If he clears waivers, he could return to the practice squad. 
• EJ Smith was waived with an injury designation, while Jaydn Ott may be on his way back to a fifth college year. 

Wide Receiver

• Xavier Worthy, Rashee Rice, and Tyquan Thornton remain the team’s receiver corps veterans. Despite injuries and off-field troubles, they will be Mahomes’ top targets this season. 
• Second-year receiver Jalen Royals earned Andy Reid’s praise, particularly around his physicality.
• While Nikko Remigio’s presence remains a surprise, the receiver will have plenty of opportunities on the special teams. 
• Andrew Armstrong’s exit remains a problem. He led the team in preseason receiving yards, with seven receptions for 85 yards. Despite ST requirements, Armstrong gave the Mahomes-led offense a different receiving option.

Tight End

• Kelce leads an unusually large tight-end group. The team has retained four tight ends, but with a strong receiving group, Andy Reid could have a different plan.
• Reid could focus on the run game, with the four tight ends asked to protect Walker early on in the season. 

Offensive Line

• With plenty of Super Bowl winners and Pro Bowlers already in the lineup, the Chiefs brought in Pounds and Ezeudu, making it a crowded offensive group. 
• Though Nygra played well in the final preseason game against the defending-champion Seattle Seahawks, it wasn’t enough to earn him a spot. Meanwhile, Hanson was waived with an injury designation.

Defensive Line

• Unlike most years under Andy Reid, the Chiefs have gone from nine defensive linemen to eight. 
• Ogbah’s reunion with the team was short-lived, but the arrival of Felix Anudike-Uzomah has certainly eased that decision. 
• Harris is more likely to take up a spot in case Norman-Lott stays on the PUP list, and while not much information has been given by the Chiefs on Gillotte’s foot injury, he has grabbed a spot on the roster.

Defensive Back

• Fulton has also been retained due to his strong coverage and a pass breakup during the final preseason game, though the Chiefs could have saved $5 million in salary-cap space by waiving him.
• While Kohou looked like a good prospect early in the off-season, he couldn’t impress with limited snaps in the preseason. 

Linebacker

• Linebackers might be the most concerning group. There’s a genuine concern about this group’s depth.
• Jack Cochrane returns despite multiple penalties during returns last season.
• Wesley Bissain remains a notable exit, likely heading back to the Hurricanes for his fifth year in college.

Specialist