Chiefs Rumors: Justyn Ross all but secured his spot on 53-man roster
Wide receiver Justyn Ross is living up to the hype this preseason, and that's saying a lot considering just how much fans and pundits were singing his praises.
The Chiefs camp standout enters his second year in Kansas City and shined against the Cardinals despite his sparse minutes. In Week 2 of preseason, Ross recorded two catches for 18 yards and sniffed the end zone a few times: Ross ran a nifty route to connect with Patrick Mahomes for a 12-yard gain in the first quarter and also built up chemistry with Blaine Gabbert in the third quarter.
Arrowhead Addict's Josh Fann pointed out perhaps the biggest takeaway from Ross' performances in the second week of preseason: the fact that he got the first-team treatment:
The important thing to acknowledge here outside of Ross' actual performance is the fact he got a legitimate run with the first-team offense. Usually, players that get significant runs with the first-team offense both in camp and the preseason games are the exact opposite of being on the bubble.
The Clemson product ate in his freshman and sophomore years prior to his injury, and he seems primed to carve out a significant role in this year's Chiefs offense, too. As the Chiefs continue their remodeling of the wideout room, Ross appears firmly on the inside of the bubble as long as he avoids serious injury.
Impressive training camp? Check. Solid two weeks of preseason so far? Check. All that's waiting for him now is his NFL debut come September.
Chiefs Rumors: Shane Buechele could edge out veteran for QB2 position
Before boarding the Shane Buechele hype train, it's worth noting that veteran Blaine Gabbert has done nothing to lose the QB2 job. Andy Reid has long favored veterans to back up Patrick Mahomes, and he has no reason to break tradition now.
Well, he has one rising reason: Shane Buechele.
After the second preseason game against the Cardinals, Buechele arguably leapfrogged Gabbert for the backup role.
The 25-year-old Texas product has zero game experience compared to Gabbert's 12 years, but he showed all the signs of a quality backup in the 2023 season. Buechele completed all 10 of his pass attempts for 105 yards and had a rushing touchdown to boot; he was creative when he needed to be, looked comfortable as ever in the pocket, and had an extra spark in his step compared to Gabbert's steadier, more reserved play.
Buechele went undrafted in 2021 but ended up on the Chiefs' practice squad; he was elevated to the active roster once.
Technically speaking, both Buechele and Gabbert pass the eye test. Given what we've seen of each quarterback, the Chiefs can't go too wrong. If it's a Henne replica Kansas City wants, Gabbert is the favorite.
If the Chiefs are looking for just a little bit more — a more dynamic threat, a more athletic presence, a bigger X-factor — Buechele is the better option.
Chiefs Rumors: Rashee Rice garners support from Mahomes, Reid
You know what other wideout received a ton of flak in the preseason for his drops? Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase. Which is just to repeat the time-tested adage: NFL preseason only matters so much.
Chiefs second-rounder Rashee Rice has been criticized for his pair of drops in preseason so far, recently taking his eye off the ball in the second quarter of Week 2 against the Cardinals.
But Rice finished as the top receiver of the night with eight catches for 96 yards in the 38-10 victory, connecting with three different quarterbacks. Rice, an SMU product who recorded 112.9 receiving yards per game in his senior season, joins the Chiefs roster with managed expectations as part of a wholly young wideout unit.
The transition to the NFL comes with an inevitable learning curve, and Rice's teammates and coach are behind him 100 percent.
"He had the drop early, and then he responded well. I think that's just the jitters of being in your first few NFL games. I have a lot of trust in him."
Andy Reid echoed:
"He's a good football player and really has had a nice camp for us."
Touted to make an immediate impact on special teams, Rice proved he could also handle a receiver's workload when he showcased his speed and YAC ability in a few dazzling highlights against Arizona.
This preseason — like every other preseason — Chiefs fans should keep the overreactions to a minimum.