3 Chiefs who played themselves off the roster in Preseason Week 2 and why

The NFL preseason might not matter to Patrick Mahomes who proved just that with his risky but effective pass, but it certainly does matter to those on the fringes trying to fight for roster spots.

Most of the Kansas City Chiefs roster is solidified, but there are competitions to play out. Those who play well, like Deneric Prince and Chris Oladokun did in Saturday's loss, will continue to fight. Those who struggle, will face a steeper climb as they try and make the team.

These three players, in particular, might have just lost their roster spots, either due to their own poor showings or because of others shining.

3) Ian Book, QB

The Chiefs have the most solidified quarterback situation in the NFL with Patrick Mahomes locked in under center. Carson Wentz is far from perfect and only completed five of his ten passing attempts, but it feels as if his odds of making the team as Mahomes' backup are high.

Chris Oladokun, a seventh-round pick back in 2022, showed out in Kansas City's Week 2 game by completing six of his seven passing attempts for 99 yards and a touchdown. He had more passing yards than Mahomes did in seven fewer attempts!

Oladokun might not make the team, but he figures to be the leader for the third-string spot if Kansas City wants to carry one. This means that Ian Book, the fourth quarterback on the roster, likely won't make the team.

Book only played at the very end of the game for a couple of drives but completed just two of his four passes for 16 yards. The Chiefs went 3-and-out in one of the drives and gained just one first down in the other. Book might be kept around on the practice squad, but he likely won't be on Kansas City's Week 1 roster.

2) Keaontay Ingram, RB

While the Chiefs' running back room isn't quite as stable as their quarterback room, the starter and backup are relatively easy to identify. Isaiah Pacheco will receive a bulk of the work in the backfield, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire was re-signed to be Pacheco's backup. More than two running backs will be rostered, but the question is how many more.

The amount of depth Kansas City has is why Keaontay Ingram faces an uphill battle for a spot on this Chiefs roster, and Saturday's game made Ingram's path even tougher for a couple of reasons.

First, Ingram had just one carry for four yards out of the backfield and one reception for five yards. He didn't blow anyone away on the stat sheet, and others simply played better. Carson Steele showed his potential in Kansas City's preseason opener last week, rushing for 29 yards on four attempts with a touchdown. This week, it was Deneric Prince who showed out, rushing for 47 yards on seven attempts.

Ingram hasn't done much at the NFL level in his brief career and has been outshined by other backs he's competing with during preseason action. Assuming the Chiefs only carry four running backs at most, Ingram will likely be an odd-man out.

1) Kadarius Toney, WR

Here's the big one. Kadarius Toney has essentially been on the chopping block in the minds of Chiefs fans since he was acquired in the middle of the 2022 season. While he has yet to receive the axe, Toney might be facing an uphill battle now.

Talent has never been the issue with Toney. He was taken in the first round by the New York Giants in 2021 for a reason. His ability to produce on the field and even be healthy enough to play is why his roster spot could be up for grabs.

Toney has had some big moments for the Chiefs, but had just 169 receiving yards and one touchdown in 13 games last season, and did not play a single snap in the postseason. He has a chance to flip the script this preseason, but he didn't show much on Saturday.

The 25-year-old was called for two penalties in his first preseason snap and followed that up by recording one reception out of the only two targets he received, and lose four yards in that catch.

His chances of making the team's Week 1 roster probably increased with Hollywood Brown's injury, but perhaps Toney's spot can go to one of the proven Mecole Hardman or Nikko Remigio who looked better than Toney did on Saturday.