The Kansas City Chiefs have set a high standard on the way to becoming the NFL’s modern day dynasty. With three Lombardi Trophies and five Super Bowl appearances since 2019, incoming players receive quite the wake-up call when joining the professional ranks – especially if they are fortunate enough to join the Chiefs.

Brashard Smith found out the hard way when he was criticized by special teams coach Dave Toub on Tuesday. Lamenting the fact that Smith didn’t return a kick or a punt in Kansas City’s preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals, the longtime assistant was left seething to the point he pleaded for the team not to cut current returner Nikko Remigio.

Those comments make it seem like Smith is on the roster bubble heading into the team’s final two preseason games. But the Chiefs may be overreacting to the rookie’s mistake and could make one of their own if they send him packing at the end of camp.

The Chiefs Would Make Their Own Mistake Cutting Brashard Smith

The Chiefs took Smith in the seventh round of last year’s draft and roster spots aren’t guaranteed for a player taken that late. But Kansas City also knew they were taking a work in progress based on Smith’s transition from the receiver position to the backfield.

In his lone season as a running back, Smith had high-end production, running for 1,332 yards and 14 touchdowns and catching 39 passes for 327 yards and four more scores. But there’s also a steep learning curve for players that have had a history of playing running back even as they enter the NFL. In the past, this would have kept players from getting the ball, but coaches have become more creative in finding ways to get the ball into the hands of raw talent.

The local example is wide receiver Xavier Worthy. Worthy had raw athleticism, posting a 4.21-second time in the 40-yard dash, but he needed to refine some of the aspects of playing receiver. Instead of keeping him on the bench for what he couldn’t do, the Chiefs found a way to use his strengths to their advantage.

The result? Worthy had a solid rookie season with 59 catches for 638 yards and six touchdowns and even caught a 50-yard bomb from Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl. The Chiefs coaching staff also found a way for Worthy to work on the finer things behind the scenes and he enters this season as a potential breakout candidate.

This could be the blueprint for tapping into Smith’s potential. The 22-year-old flashed as soon as he stepped on the field for training camp, making plays out of the backfield in the receiving game. He also has a more dynamic skill set than Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt and Elijah Mitchell, who are currently ahead of Smith on the depth chart.

Perhaps Smith could have allowed the punt in question to bounce at the five-yard line and into the end zone. But maybe Toub was just lamenting a chance to see what the rookie could do in punt coverage. Smith also needs to play better in a game-like situation after running four times for 10 yards and losing six yards on his lone catch in his preseason opener against the Cardinals.

Regardless, giving up on Smith this early would be a mistake by the Chiefs and he should get an opportunity to prove himself over the final two preseason games.