Chiefs vs. Bears: Kadarius & 3 to Watch in Preseason Finale

The Kansas City Chiefs are set to close their preseason slate on Thursday at GHEA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs will welcome rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears for an 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff.

With several new faces both on the coaching staff and on the roster, the Chiefs will continue to use each opportunity to learn, improve and prepare for the upcoming season.

Though many Chiefs players are expected to garner some attention during Thursday’s matchup, here are three players that might raise an eyebrow… or perhaps, catch a ‘sharp eye’ when Kansas City takes the field against the Bears.

Kamal Hadden

As the Chiefs’ No. 211 overall pick in the sixth-round on April’s Draft, Hadden has the chance to become a diamond in the rough of Kansas City’s secondary. The sizable corner was a true asset for Tennessee’s defense. In his first year, he played in seven games for the Volunteers with two starts and had 17 tackles and one interception. Hadden started six of nine games in 2022, recording 51 tackles and two interceptions. As a senior in 2023, he started the first seven games of the season before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. He finished with 19 tackles, three interceptions and a touchdown.

Hadden’s size, length and ball skills should allow him to assimilate into the Chiefs’ rotation sooner than later. The process towards securing a roster spot will be greatly accelerated with a strong showing against the Bears.

Kadarius Toney

Though his time with Kansas City has been marked by as much by controversy as potential, Toney is still in line to earn a spot on the team’s opening day roster — should he continue to showcase his talents. In 20 career games with the Chiefs as a receiver, Toney has caught 41 passes for 340 yards and three touchdowns. In his first full season with the club, the 25-year-old largely underwhelmed, logging 27 receptions for 169 yards, and one score. In addition to missing time due to meniscus, hip and ankle injuries, his season was marred by several dropped passes and inconsistent play. In what some considered to be the last straw, Toney took to Instagram in late January, in which he claimed he was not injured and that the Chiefs were falsely placing him on the injury report. Though he later apologized for his conduct, he did not retract the remarks.

Still, all has the chance to be forgiven. Toney spent much of the offseason working out with starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes and has also demonstrated his dual-threat capabilities by getting reps with the team’s running backs. His playing time against Chicago should be a revealing detail in coach Andy Reid’s thoughts on Toney’s chances of making the team.

Matt Araiza

Despite having “won” the punter job — following the release of Ryan Rekhow — Araiza is still eager to prove that his skill set will stand out for the defensing Super Bowl champions this season. He was one of the most highly-touted collegiate players at the position in 2021. Known for his power, he delivered 18 punts of 60-plus yards, including two at 80 or more yards in 2021. Araiza posted a net average of nearly 50 yards on open-field punts. He also was a kickoff specialist, sailing 62 of 73 kickoffs. His 2021 campaign was made complete by being awarded the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s top punter.

Eager to place his legal woes behind him, Araiza will get one more chance to showcase his impressive skill set before the Chiefs’ regular season opener at home against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 5.