Andy Reid on Carson Steele: ‘It didn’t look like they wanted to tackle him’

With the Kansas City Chiefs' starters sitting out Thursday night's game, the team closed out the preseason winless after losing to the Chicago Bears, 34-21. Despite the defeat, the game was a crucial last audition for players fighting to make the final 53-man roster ahead of the August 27 deadline.

Head coach Andy Reid expressed his satisfaction with the opportunity to evaluate those on the roster bubble, using this final game to gather as much information as possible.

"The best part was that we were able to get all the guys in there to have an opportunity to play and put it on tape where Brett [Veach] can evaluate it tomorrow and for the next couple of days," Reid said.

The Chiefs' head coach also highlighted the performance of several players who saw extended action, including cornerback Jaylen Watson. The third-year defensive back missed some training camp while on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

Watson was activated earlier this month and finally made his preseason debut, leading the team on Thursday night with six total tackles. While he did allow a long 37-yard completion to Bears receiver Tyler Scott, Reid is confident that the additional snaps will ultimately benefit Watson as he regains his rhythm heading into the regular season.

"He needed the work," Reid acknowledged. "Yeah, he flopped around on the one, but he did a nice job. He's a good football player. He just needs to work through all this, so we kept him in there and gave him some snaps to do that with."

One of the night's standout performances came from undrafted rookie running back Carson Steele. Although he is currently listed as the team's only fullback, Steele still managed to lead all Chiefs running backs with 50 yards and a touchdown on just four carries.

The UCLA product, who has turned heads throughout training camp, showcased his physicality and toughness on a highlight 31-yard run, as his versatile performance against the Bears should help him solidify his case for a spot on the final roster.

"We'll evaluate it, but he looked good tonight," Reid noted. "He's a physical kid. I know the guys were excited when he was carrying it. We'll see, but he's a good football player though. It didn't look like they wanted to tackle him, so that's a plus if you're a running back."