When the Kansas City Chiefs take the field against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday, it will be the very last game in a Chiefs uniform for many of the players involved. Roster cuts are due very, very soon in the National Football League, which means Thursday’s slate of games is, in many ways, a desperate exhibition for young men hoping to keep their dreams of playing professional football at the highest level alive.
For the decision-makers, Thursday gives them another chance to see interesting prospects perform under pressure in a game-time simulation. In the bigger scheme of things, it’s a forgettable exhibition (and quite silly that any team could charge expensive prices for tickets just to see third stringers compete for a special teams spot) but these sorts of key moments can pay serious dividends for general managers and scouts with the acumen to see true potential.