The Kansas City Chiefs are officially into the new year after finishing their first preseason game on Sunday with a 26-24 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
The final result wasn’t the goal of the preseason tune-up, but instead, the performances on the field will carry much more weight. Several players helped and hurt themselves as training camp concludes this week.
Here’s a look at how the stock is trending for some players after the preseason Week 1 in New Orleans:
Stock Up: Shane Buechele
Currently slated as the Chiefs’ third quarterback on the depth chart, Buechele stepped his game up to another level on Sunday. He finished with 155 yards passing, two touchdowns, and an interception. He wowed everyone with an impressive touchdown pass during his last drive in the third period.
Stock Up: Justyn Ross
Ross hasn’t scored a touchdown in a game since his time in college with the Clemson Tigers. He impressed throughout training camp, and with plenty of eyes focused on him, he delivered without fail. Ross had two catches, one of which was a touchdown putting his comeback from multiple injury setbacks in his rearview.
Stock Down: Chris Oladokun
The Chiefs’ third-team competition is fierce as players on the possible choosing block use the games to leave good impressions. Oladokun didn’t do himself any favors, as his late-game interception cost the Chiefs a chance to leave New Orleans with a win. The losses in preseason don’t mean much but poor judgment is unforgettable in the eyes of the coaching staff.
Stock Down: Defensive Line
The absence of Chris Jones was apparent regardless if it was the first or second team — the lack of pressure up front allowed Derek Carr to find his receivers throughout his stint. The Chiefs gave up 17 unanswered points to start the game as the Saints marched down the field on their opening drives.
