On Saturday I said we should be looking out for the Kansas City Chiefs that did not enter last night's 14-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. I argued that, with five roster cuts having to be made by Tuesday, the coaching staff probably knew who was going to get the heave-ho. Things like injury settlements might preclude Todd Haley from sending an undrafted free agent into the game who was unlikely to make the team in the first place.
Well, 12 Chiefs didn't play against the Seahawks and it's looking like, at least for a few of them, this might have been their last game in a red uniform. Five were due to injury and seven were unexplained.
Brodie Croyle also did not play but I did not include him on this list. His scratch was a predetermined decision by the coaching staff to get Tyler Thigpen more time.
First, the ones we knew were injured and hadn't practiced all week:
- RB Kolby Smith
- LB Zach Thomas
- TE Jake O'Connell
No explanation on any of those injuries. Smith will likely start the season on PUP, Zach Thomas will be ready by Baltimore and Jake O'Connell is an unknown as well.
Then the two surprise injury scratches:
- LB Derrick Johnson
- FS Jarrad Page
No explanation on either of these either. Derrick Johnson missed a little time late in the week. Jarrad Page practiced all week and there was no indication he was injured.
Now, here's the list of seven other players, a combination of recent draft picks and undrafted free agents, who did not play Saturday against the Seahawks:
- WR Terrance Copper
- CB Londen Fryar
- RB Javarris Williams
- OL Colin Brown
- DE Bobby Greenwood
- OT Cameron Goldberg
- OT Herb Taylor
Three names that wouldn't surprise me if they were on the cut list: Fryar, Greenwood and Goldberg.
They're undrafted free agents so they were long shots to begin with. Combine that with not playing in the third game of preseason and their stay in Kansas City appears to be a short one.
Four names that would slightly surprise me if they were cut: Copper, Williams, Brown and Taylor.
Terrance Copper has been running with the first team and, since the inception of the first unofficial depth chart, has been listed as the No. 1 wide receiver. Javarris Williams would be less of a surprise but he's still a '09 draft pick. Same goes for Colin Brown, who was a fifth round pick. He's been seeing time at right guard, the same position to which the Chiefs added more depth with the trade for Andy Alleman. Herb Taylor was drafted two years ago and hasn't developed like many thought he would.
With Tuesday rapidly approaching, and the Chiefs with the rest of the weekend to evaluate tape, keep an eye on these guys. There's a good chance the names on this list will make the majority, if not all, of Tuesday's five roster cuts.