KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs’ 9-9 home tie against the Seattle Seahawks on Friday night was the last chance for players on the bubble to make their case for the 53-man roster.A few stood out.Wide receiver Andrew Armstrong had his best game while serving as quarterback Garrett Nussmeier’s top target. Backup center Pete Nygra cleared holes in the run game, and veteran guard Mike Caliendo also impressed, making a final roster statement.Will it be enough ahead of Sunday’s cutdowns? It’s time to peer into the crystal ball to reveal our official (and final) Chiefs 53-man roster projection.Can Kansas City Chiefs 'restore the aura' in the AFC?Robert Mays and Derrik KlassenQuarterbacks (3)In: Patrick Mahomes, Justin Fields, Garrett NussmeierMissed the cut: Chris OladokunThe Chiefs have a good problem here: Nussmeier has shown enough growth in preseason that he’ll require a 53-man roster spot to be protected. He seems on a path to becoming Mahomes’ long-term backup in K.C.Running backs (4)In: Kenneth Walker III, Emmett Johnson, Emari Demercado, Brashard SmithMissed the cut: Jaydn Ott, E.J. SmithEach running back appears to have his own niche. Walker is the workhorse who’ll be asked to do more than he did in Seattle. Johnson would be next in line for primary work if Walker gets hurt, and he also should be a special teams staple. Demercado profiles as a third-down back and the room’s best pass protector, while Brashard Smith gives coach Andy Reid a gadget-type guy who can catch out of the backfield and is a potential red zone weapon. Again, keeping four instead of three here means there will need to be extra trimming at other positions.Chiefs wide receiver Andrew Armstrong, getting tackled by Seahawks cornerback Noah Igbinoghene, led Kansas City with five catches for 54 yards Friday night. (Jay Biggerstaff / Imagn Images)Receivers (6)In: Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Tyquan Thornton, Jalen Royals, Cyrus Allen, Andrew ArmstrongMissed the cut: Nikko Remigio, Jimmy Holiday, Jason Brownlee, Xavier Loyd, Omari Evans, Jacob De Jesus, Jeff WeimerRemigio remains a high-floor, low-ceiling option at returner, and it seems likely he’d get back to the practice squad. We say the Chiefs go that route here while believing Smith and Allen can handle punt returns for the short term, with the option to elevate Remigio later if things don’t go well. In this scenario, Armstrong claims one of the last roster spots as a taller red zone weapon while flashing as an excellent run blocker. Armstrong led the Chiefs with five catches for 54 yards in Friday’s game.Tight ends (4)In: Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, Jared Wiley, Jake BriningstoolMissed the cut: Tre Watson, Mason PlineBriningstool appeared to earn his way onto the roster with a strong finish near the end of training camp. Most importantly, he’s been able to stay on the field after sitting out last season with a hamstring injury. This group has no true run-blocking specialist at the moment. Could Wiley start to prove more capable? Or might Armstrong play a tight-end-type role in those scenarios?Offensive line (9)In: Josh Simmons, Kingsley Suamataia, Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, Jaylon Moore, Kahlil Benson, Esa Pole, Joshua Ezeudu, Hunter NourzadMissed the cut: Mike Caliendo, Pete Nygra, C.J. Hanson, Ethan Driskell, Chu Godrick, Josh ThompsonOne would think the Chiefs’ trade this week for Ezeudu should push either Caliendo or Nourzad off the roster. The guess here is the Chiefs will keep the younger Nourzad — he’s a 2024 fifth-round pick — while still going relatively light with only nine O-line bodies. The last game will make for a tough evaluation, though. Based on preliminary Pro Football Focus analysis, Caliendo was the Chiefs’ top-graded offensive player Friday. Nygra also had an excellent showing in the preseason finale, so he has a chance of sneaking onto the 53 as well.Defensive line (9)In: George Karlaftis, Chris Jones, Khyiris Tonga, Ashton Gillotte, Peter Woods, R Mason Thomas, Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Emmanuel Ogbah, Marcus HarrisPUP list: Omarr Norman-LottMissed the cut: Tyreke Smith, V.J. Anthony, Amari McNeill, Cole Brevard, Damon Payne, Ethan Hurkett, Niles KingThe Chiefs have gone with at least nine defensive linemen every year under Reid, meaning an under-the-radar player could slip into the rotation here if Norman-Lott starts the year on the physically unable to perform list while rehabbing a knee injury. We’ll give that spot to Harris, who joined the team late last year and appears to be next in line among defensive tackles. Harris helped his case Friday with a tackle for loss just after halftime and six tackles overall. The Chiefs also haven’t disclosed much about Gillotte’s foot injury, so he might be a candidate for injured reserve, which would keep him out the first four weeks.Linebackers (5)In: Drue Tranquill, Nick Bolton, Cooper McDonald, Jeffrey Bassa, Jack CochraneMissed the cut: Cam Jones, Cole Christiansen, Kam Arnold, Wesley BissaintheSomething to note: This is one spot where the Chiefs could play some roster tricks. Cochrane (like Ogbah and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed) is a vested veteran, meaning he could get “cut” Sunday only to return to the team or practice squad without having to pass through waivers. It would be a creative way for the Chiefs to pick up a roster spot, especially if a few unexpected players start the season on the PUP list.Cornerbacks (6)In: Mansoor Delane, Nohl Williams, Chris Roland-Wallace, Jadon Canady, L’Jarius Sneed, Kristian FultonMissed the cut: Kader Kohou, Melvin Smith, Kevin Knowles, Kaiir Elam, Bryce Phillips, D’Arco Perkins-McAllister, Zelmar VedderThe Chiefs could cut Fulton to save $5 million in salary-cap space (while eating $8 million in dead money), so it’s worth noting that Fulton had his best preseason game Friday with a pass breakup and strong coverage with the second-stringers. K.C. has not run him with the starters at any point in camp, so it still wouldn’t be surprising if he’s not with the team Sept. 14, whether that means he’s traded or cut. Smith and Knowles seem like practice squad candidates, while Kohou appeared to drop down the depth chart later in camp.Safeties (4)In: Alohi Gilman, Chamarri Conner, Jaden Hicks, Xavier NwankpaMissed the cut: DeShon Singleton, Tanner McCalisterNwankpa should join Benson as the only two undrafted free agents to make the roster. He’s definitely the team’s fourth safety (or fifth if you count the versatile Roland-Wallace, who plays there too), but Nwankpa profiles as an excellent special-teamer right away and should be a top contributor there if he makes the cut.Specialists (3)In: K Harrison Butker, P Matt Araiza, LS James WinchesterMissed the cut: NoneNo competition here, though Butker needs to show more consistency this season to avoid a camp battle in 2027.