Chiefs Sign P Jack Fox to Practice Squad, Release WR Cody Thompson

Chiefs eye Fox as potential successor to 37-year-old Dustin Colquitt

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Chiefs signed punter Jack Fox to the club's practice squad Tuesday, while also releasing wide receiver Cody Thompson from the squad to make space.

Fox signed with the Chiefs in May as an undrafted free agent from Rice, and he spent training camp and preseason with the club. In four preseason games, Fox averaged 44.1 on nine punts with an average net of 38.6 yards. Special teams coordinator Dave Toub views Fox as a future NFL punter.

“Jack, he's got a strong leg,” Toub said during training camp in August. “He's got an NFL leg. You'll see like two or three punts out of five he'll bomb them 5-0 hang time.”

The club views Fox as a prospective replacement for veteran Dustin Colquitt. The 37-year-old Colquitt has expressed an interest in continuing punting in the NFL, and he's signed through the 2020 season with a cap hit of $2.65 million next year. He's averaging a net of 42.0 yards per punt with a hang time of 4.47 seconds, both above his career averages. 

The Chiefs waived Fox during the cut down to building the team's initial 53-man roster after the preseason concluded. Fox had a tryout this week with the Baltimore Ravens, and the St. Louis, Missouri native was also recently selected by the St. Louis BattleHawks of the XFL. 

Thompson emerged as a fan favorite during training camp. He signed with the Chiefs in May as an undrafted free agent after a record-setting career at Toledo. Thompson caught 12 passes for 108 yards in four preseason games. 

The Chiefs recently re-signed wide receiver Gehrig Dieter to the team's practice squad, joining undrafted free agent Jody Fortson. The return of Dieter left the Chiefs with a surplus of receivers on the practice squad, making Thompson the odd man out for now.