After a disappointing 2025, the Kansas City Chiefs have no shortage of pieces that are going to be put under the microscope heading into the 2026 season.

With OTAs underway for the Kansas City Chiefs, it is the first glimpse for fans at new additions and this year’s rookie class. All of this change introduces a level of competition and intensity even this early in the year. Teams understand that OTAs set the foundation for competitions ahead that will bleed into camp and preseason action.

This makes it clear that a number of Chiefs players will see their spots under fire moving deeper into the summer. Leading us to look at four names that stand out as pieces that could find themselves quickly demoted over the weeks to come.

These 4 Chiefs veterans are under major pressure

1. Chris Oladokun

The longtime third-string quarterback was put on notice not only by the offseason addition of Justin Fields but also by the late-round draft selection of Garrett Nussmeier. It is going to be incredibly difficult for Oladokun to prove he is more valuable to the team’s roster than a player with an unknown ceiling who was just selected from a well-respected college program.

Oladokun’s moment was last season when both Patrick Mahomes and Gardner Minshew went down with injuries. The performance didn’t live up to team hopes and left the franchise searching for potential upgrades and left Oladokun fighting for his job not only in OTAs but heading deeper into a summer that appears likely to be the quarterback’s last with the Chiefs.

2. George Karlaftis

Ignore the fact that the Chiefs are paying the veteran a high-dollar contract and look simply at the results. Kansas City’s pass rush needs improvement, and both Ashton Gillotte and R Mason Thomas present this possibility. If both players can perform at the expected levels, the decision-makers could be forced to entertain the idea of putting Karlaftis into a rotational role and moving forward with the pieces that give the starting unit its best chance to get to the quarterback.

This is an increasingly likely possibility based on the fact that Karlaftis hasn’t lived up to team expectations, offering limited production in the 2025 season. Playing alongside Chris Jones, who demands so much attention and sets up edge rushers for a great deal of success, leaves the veteran with very little excuse.

3. Kader Kohou

Kohou was signed in free agency and has yet to take a snap with the Chiefs, and is already under a great deal of pressure. Rookie Jadon Canady has garnered comparisons to Trent McDuffie due to his frame and the way that he plays the position. Canady could give the Chiefs a level of stability for years to come, and Steve Spagnuolo has a recent track record of getting great performances out of unexpected pieces.

Canady could simply be the latest example of this trend and has a chance to knock Kohou out of the starting lineup. This is a clear concern for the veteran who is going to need to step into the lineup and perform instantly at a high level.

4. Noah Gray

Unlike the rest of this list, Gray doesn’t have one clear threat sitting behind him, but a trio of options that have an open door after last season’s results. Gray had the worst catch percentage of his career and wasn’t a consistent source of offense in a year when the Chiefs badly needed the tight end to step up and help offset injury issues.

It was the most frustrating year of Gray’s career, and it has left plenty of room for a surprise contributor to step in and push for the spot behind Travis Kelce. Even if this isn’t the case, if Gray doesn’t show incredible improvement from a season ago, there is reason to wonder if a signing or trade could be in Kansas City’s future.