When looking at the ability of the Kansas City Chiefs cutting down to 53 players, it’s hard to see how they will do so without letting this year’s seventh round pick go — at least to the practice squad. Yale’s Shane Bannon was taken by the Chiefs at No. 223 for his great athleticism and strength displayed in limited workouts, and it was the type of project pick teams make at end of the NFL Draft. While the potential might be there, the Chiefs backfield is just too loaded to carry Bannon on the roster.
Consider that Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones will obviously carry the league-leading rushing load they carried last season, that only leaves room for new fullback Le’Ron McClain and where-will-we-store-him Dexter McCluster. Even if you list McCluster as a wide receiver, it doesn’t make any sense for the Chiefs to keep Bannon on the roster at this point with his lack of experience and the incredible amount of intriguing releases by other teams that will surely come across the waiver wire today and tomorrow.
This also leaves Jackie Battle and Mike Cox in the lurch. Of course, this is all conjecture at this point, but Battle is already 27 and has averaged 2.9 yards/carry in his career. It’s simply time to move on to someone younger and with more potential. As for Cox, the Chiefs now have McClain and then Bannon also around so again it’s simply about having other options.
Perhaps one of these guys stick if Coach Hoffman likes one of the guys for special teams play, since there’s no way of knowing at this point who they may like there. But expect the Chiefs to make a few cuts at the RB position in the next day or so.