Chiefs players with the most to lose during the preseason Week 1 opener vs. Jaguars

The Kansas City Chiefs will soon face off against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday, August 10 at 6:00 p.m. CT .

It's the first preseason game of 2024 for the reigning Super Bowl champions, which means the first chance to truly evaluate the team's chances at a three-peat. Players will be looking to make their mark against the Jaguars to prove themselves worthy of a spot on the 53-man roster spot during the upcoming season. A good performance can go a long way toward cementing status, but a bad performance in the preseason could be a death knell for their chances in Kansas City.

Here's a quick look at six Chiefs players who have the most to lose at Everbank Stadium on Saturday.

WR Skyy Moore

No player has more to lose as the preseason begins than former second-round draft pick Skyy Moore. The wide receiver position has been a problem in Kansas City over the past two seasons, which is funny to say given the Super Bowl-winning results. With the investments the team has made in the position group this offseason, it's going to be harder than ever before for Moore to make the 53-man roster. After watching him at training camp, I think Moore still has a pretty good shot at making it. He's made some nice contested grabs with the first- and second-team offense. Still, he needs to set himself apart from the rest of the pack during the preseason. That might be easier said than done given the talented group of pass catchers the team has assembled .

OT Wanya Morris

While Andy Reid hasn't formally declared a winner in the battle for the starting left tackle position, the writing is on the wall that rookie Kingsley Suamataia will be the guy. He's getting all of the repetitions at training camp with the first-team unit and he's passed the eye test as well. The Chiefs seem to be figuring out how to best deploy Morris, who has taken repetitions at left tackle, right tackle, and even at left guard so far during training camp. He's also been used as the sixth OL in "Jumbo" formations. The fact that Morris hasn't managed to win the starting job makes me think there is room for another player to surpass him as the team's swing offensive tackle, too. Keep an eye on Chu Godrick, Lucas Niang, and rookie Ethan Driskell.

WR Kadarius Toney

Early on in training camp, I was convinced that Kadarius Toney was making the 53-man roster. Andy Reid was finding creative ways to use him out of the backfield . He was mixing in with the first- and second-team offense. Then, the injury bug struck, twice. An ankle injury and a back injury took him out of several practice sessions and seemingly out of favor with the coaching staff. If his injuries keep him out of preseason Week 1 or any other practices or games, that would seriously hurt his chances of making the type of impression that he needs to make to get another opportunity in Kansas City.

LG Mike Caliendo

Caliendo has settled in at left guard in place of Joe Thuney in recent weeks, but only after quite a bit of experimentation at the position. While I was at training camp over the past week plus, there were days with Hunter Nourzad, Lucas Niang, and Wanya Morris at left guard. Caliendo struggled to defend power at times, and I noticed a few repetitions where he didn't seem to know his assignment as well as you'd expect of a third-year veteran. If Caliendo is anything short of perfect with the starting unit on Saturday, we could see more experimentation at the backup left guard spot as training camp wraps up.

CB Nic Jones

The cornerback position might be the most competitive on the Chiefs' roster and landing a spot as a backup is going to mean scratching and clawing your way to the top. Jones, a seventh-round draft pick out of Ball State, hasn't benefited from the injuries at the position during training camp yet. He yielded first-team snaps to players like Kelvin Joseph, Chamarri Conner, Keith Taylor, and Ekow Boye-Doe. Guys like Joshua Williams, Jaylen Watson, and Nazeeh Johnson have a fast track to roster spots . Then consider there is a new draft pick in Kamal Hadden vying for a spot. Jones needs a strong preseason performance on defense and special teams if he's to make the 53-man roster this year.

DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah

A first-round draft pick in 2023, no player has higher expectations entering the 2024 NFL season. Anudike-Uzomah has done everything right this offseason to improve upon what was a disappointing rookie campaign. That includes working with Chiefs Hall of Famer Tamba Hali to improve his get-off and hand-fighting during the offseason . Anudike-Uzomah has to show out during the entirety of the preseason or things could get dire quick. If we're to believe the latest rumblings, the Chiefs could find themselves in the market for a veteran pass-rusher with BJ Thompson still on active/NFI and Charles Omenihu on the PUP lists. That need could intensify if Anudike-Uzomah doesn't get off to a good start.

Runners up

• LB Jack Cochrane
• RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
• DT Neil Farrell Jr.

Related: Contract details for Chiefs K Harrison Butker tell the full story of his four-year extension