These 5 Chiefs underdogs are must-watch players in the preseason opener

The 2025 Kansas City Chiefs will take the field for the first time Saturday night when they play the Arizona Cardinals in their first preseason game of the season.

There is always a ton of excitement around getting to see a team for the first time after an offseason of speculating on how the team will do this season. Naturally, KC fans will be excited to see stars like Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Chris Jones, as well as much-hyped draft picks like Josh Simmons.

While those big names get all the excitement, they don't usually get a lot of playing time. In fact, the entire second half is typically played by guys who will be lucky to even make the practice squad. However, there are always a handful of lesser-known players who are able to stand out and earn themselves jobs, occasionally even fighting their way onto the 53-man roster.

So when you sit down to watch the game, here are five undrafted rookies who could have a chance to stick in KC and might be worth keeping an eye on after the starters are out of the game.

Kansas City Chiefs Undrafted Rookies To Watch

Elijah Badger - Wide Receiver - #80

Elijah Badger is a 6'1", 192-pound wide receiver out of Florida. He ran a 4.43 forty at the combine and had good enough tape that most experts expected him to get drafted. He's already made some splash plays in training camp, and it is certainly possible for him to fight his way onto the roster as a rookie.

Badger has some competition from guys like Jason Brownlee, who has also flashed in camp after spending the past two seasons with the New York Jets, and fellow UDFA Jimmy Holiday. While Brownlee has a bigger 6'3" frame that can offer a unique profile, Badger is viewed as having the best all-around skill set and pedigree. So keep an eye out for him once the starting receivers are out.

Esa Pole - Offensive Line - #79

Esa Pole was seen as a pretty raw prospect coming out of Washington State this year. It wasn't a big surprise that he went undrafted, but the consensus is that he has the physical tools to make it in the NFL. He just needs time and coaching.

Some believed that Pole would need to kick inside to guard in the NFL, but thus far the Chiefs have been playing him at tackle. He's even gotten some time with the second string at left tackle ahead of guys Ethan Driskell and Chu Godrick, who have been with the Chiefs longer.

Pro Football Focus was a fan of Pole's signing with the Chiefs, and so far in camp, he is backing up that belief. Traditionally, the Chiefs’ backup offensive line has been an issue in preseason games, but keep an eye out for #79 to see if Pole looks like he may be a lucky find and someone worth keeping around to develop. He may have a few rough snaps here and there, but how does his agility and strength look in a live game against NFL players?

Tre Watson - Tight End - #49

The Chiefs love using multiple tight end sets and have frequently kept a young developmental prospect around either on the active roster as a fourth tight end or on the practice squad. The guy to watch for that role this year was supposed to be Jake Briningstool out of Clemson. That could still happen, but Briningstool has been nursing an injury for the last couple of weeks and is unlikely to play in this preseason game.

Briningstool's injury could have opened the door for Tre Watson, the undrafted rookie out of Texas A&M. Watson spent three years at Fresno State, but after a promising junior year, he transferred to Texas A&M. He put up 21 receptions and averaged 13.3 yards per grab. He's flashed some decent athleticism in camp, and if Briningstool can't get healthy, Watson could be the guy who benefits.

Brandon George - Linebacker - #50

Brandon George tested as one of the most athletic linebackers in the history of the NFL Draft. That’s not hyperbole. George scored a 9.98 out of 10 on the RAS (Relative Athletic Score). It was the seventh-best score by a linebacker dating back to 1987. The 6'3", 240-pound George has all the physical tools you could ever want, but he simply wasn't able to maximize those physical gifts at Pittsburgh.

Can a defensive guru like Steve Spagnuolo find a way to maximize that upside? Could Dave Toub find a role for a player with that size and athleticism on his special teams units?

George has a lot of competition for the reserve linebacker spots. KC drafted Jeffery Bassa, fellow UDFA Brandon McDonald has been getting good reviews in camp, and guys like Jack Cochran, Cole Christiansen, and Cam Jones already know the system. It still might be worth watching to see if #50 can turn his testing into playmaking in his first preseason action.

Kevin Knowles - Cornerback - #38

With free agent signing Kristian Fulton still not able to practice, it has led to Trent McDuffie having to mostly play outside and has exposed some weakness in the KC cornerback room at the slot corner spot. Chamarri Conner looks more like a safety than a slot corner, and there just aren't a lot of slot options behind McDuffie and Conner.

While second-year corner Christian Roland-Wallace has usually been the next slot option up (and could win a roster spot of his own because of it), the other corner who is getting some looks in the slot is UDFA Kevin Knowles out of Florida State.

Knowles is only 5'11" and wasn’t a highly ranked prospect going into the draft, but he was a solid slot corner for FSU and has looked good in camp. So when the Chiefs are on defense in the second half, keep an eye on #38—especially if he is covering guys out of the slot—and see how well he sticks to his man.

So there you have it, Chiefs fans: five undrafted free agents for you to keep an eye on after the starters leave KC’s first preseason game. These guys certainly aren't locks to make the team, but all five have at least one compelling reason to think it's possible, and it gives you some guys to watch in the second half when recognizable names can be hard to come by.