The Chiefs left Raymond James Stadium with a familiar preseason mix of promise and frustration, and the night gave a pretty clear read on who helped their stock and who left a little more work to do with roster cuts a week away.
Harrison Butker was somehow both a spark and a headache. He drilled a 69-yard field goal that had plenty of room to spare, and it was his third successful kick of the night.
But the night also came with the kind of reminder Chiefs fans know all too well: after Emmett Johnson’s short touchdown run, Butker missed a long PAT following a penalty, then later pushed a 43-yard field goal wide in the fourth quarter that would have put Kansas City ahead. Electric, then stressful, then electric again - that was the Butker experience.
On the defensive side, R Mason Thomas kept flashing why he’s impossible to miss. His burst off the edge and bend showed up again, and he also looked better than expected against the run. For a Chiefs front that needed another difference-maker up front, the second-round rookie keeps looking like a real find.
Felix Anudike-Uzomah also made one of the night’s biggest plays, flattening Bucs quarterback Jake Browning on a sack late in the first quarter. That kind of snap matters for a pass-rush group that still doesn’t have an obvious game-wrecker opposite George Karlaftis. Anudike-Uzomah has put together a strong preseason, and he said he’s feeling healthy again after missing last season because of injury.
Jaden Hicks kept building on his preseason opener and turned in another strong outing against Tampa Bay. His athleticism and instincts are obvious, even if the mental side has kept him from fully earning trust in Steve Spagnuolo’s system. If he can finally put everything together in his third season, that would be a meaningful boost for a safety group that lost Bryan Cook in free agency.
Xavier Nwankpa also took advantage of the opportunity in front of him. With Gilman and Conner both out because of injury - Gilman’s absence was a last-minute adjustment - Nwankpa started at free safety with the first-team defense. For a rookie free agent out of Iowa, that’s a significant step.
Not everyone helped themselves. Jaylon Moore and Kahlil Benson had a rough night as the Chiefs’ tackles struggled without Josh Simmons, and the makeshift line never really settled in.
The Chiefs appear to be choosing between Moore and Benson on the right side, but both looked overmatched even in a fairly plain preseason setting. Benson remains an intriguing story, but Week 1 readiness seems like a stretch.
Moore, who is being paid to handle the job, didn’t exactly quiet the conversation.
Justin Fields also landed on the wrong side of the ledger. Kansas City sent a sixth-round pick in 2027 to the Jets to get him behind Patrick Mahomes, and while the idea made sense given Mahomes’ recovery from torn knee ligaments, the on-field swings have been hard to ignore.
A 20-yard sack from the 7-yard line was especially rough, and the Chiefs may have a more convincing QB2 case in seventh-round rookie Garrett Nussmeier. Andy Reid still values experience, so this isn’t a true competition at the moment, but Fields has given the Chiefs too much bad mixed in with the good.
In Other News...
Chiefs Preseason Loss Put One Roster Battle Front And Center
The Chiefs preseason trip to Tampa Bay offered a little of everything, from encouraging defensive flashes to a finish that left the result hanging on one kick. Rookie defenders Mansoor Delane and R Mason Thomas both turned in promising plays, while Felix Anudike-Uzomah added a sack and multiple quarterback pressures as Kansas City kept itself in the game despite the 16-15 loss.
Harrison Butkers 69-yard field goal was the headline moment of the night, but his late go-ahead attempt missed and helped turn the final stretch into another reminder of how quickly roster evaluations can shift in August. For Kansas City, the game also put one battle front and center, with every snap and special-teams decision carrying extra weight as the roster picture starts to sharpen. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Preseason Loss Still Put Two Young Offensive Names On Notice
With Patrick Mahomes, Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Trey Smith all sidelined while they recover from injuries, the Chiefs have spent their first two preseason games giving younger offensive players a longer look. It has been the kind of August stretch that can make or break roster battles, and two names have started to stand out in a meaningful way.
Emmett Johnson gave the offense a lift with a touchdown in the second preseason game against the Buccaneers, while second-year receiver Jalen Royals led Kansas City in receiving yards. Andy Reid liked what he saw from Royals, and both players are trying to position themselves as useful role pieces for the 2026 season, even if the preseason result itself did not go Kansas City's way. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Little Is Suddenly Part Of A Wild New NFL Debate
A preseason kick from Harrison Butker has nudged an old special-teams debate back into view, even if it came in a game that wont touch the official record book. The Chiefs veteran drilled a 69-yard field goal, the second-longest in NFL preseason history, a reminder of just how far the kicking game has come and how quickly a big leg can turn into a league-wide talking point.
For Kansas City, it only adds another layer to Butkers resume. He has been with the Chiefs since 2017 and ranks fourth all-time in NFL field-goal percentage, which is why any time he sends one that deep, it gets noticed. And with Cam Little holding the official regular-season mark at 68 yards, the conversation now has a new edge, even if the answer still has to wait for a kick that counts. [Read more 🡒]