Why the Chiefs' Recent Roster Move Might Mean Something More

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Some are connecting dots after the Chiefs signed cornerback Kevin Knowles from the practice squad Tuesday.

Kansas City officially ended the rookie season of defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott and, rather than promote another defensive tackle, the Chiefs chose to bolster their secondary with Knowles.

patrick mahome — Oct 19, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott (55) is helped off the field by quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) and and cornerback Nohl Williams (20) after an injury against the Las Vegas Raiders during the third quarter of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

A 5-11, 190-pound rookie from Florida State, Knowles signed with the chiefs as an undrafted free agent in the spring. Waived in the final roster reduction, he re-signed Aug. 27 to the Chiefs’ practice squad. Knowles nearly made the final roster for his special-teams contributions, and had already reached the maximum three practice-squad elevations this season.

Trade candidate?

What’s interesting is how the Knowles move affects the trade availability of veteran cornerback Kristian Fulton. An unrestricted free agent who signed a two-year, $20 million deal with $15 million guaranteed, missed his fifth game Sunday. The Chiefs made him a healthy scratch for the second straight week.

In days leading up to the Oct. 12 Lions game, Fulton fully participated at each practice and didn’t have a status before kickoff. Then last week, he didn’t appear on the injury report once before the Raiders game but, again, the Chiefs deactivated him before kickoff.

And with the NFL trade deadline less than two weeks away, Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 3 p.m. CT, some are wondering whether a cornerback-needy team might be in discussions with Chiefs general manager Brett Veach.

brett veac — Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Plenty of NFL experience

The Titans’ second-round choice (61st overall) in the 2019 draft out of LSU, Fulton has 59 games with 51 starts and five career interceptions. As a member of the Chargers, he picked off Patrick Mahomes in the September 2024 game on that play that injured Rashee Rice.

Earlier in the season, Steve Spagnuolo said Fulton’s offseason knee surgery left him somewhat behind other players. The veteran cornerback missed most of training camp before making his preseason debut in the finale against Chicago Aug. 22.

Then, in Week 2 against Philadelphia, he left with an ankle injury and hasn’t played since. In his absence, rookie Nohl Williams has excelled against some of the league’s better wide receivers. The Chiefs have been stellar in coverage this season, ranking fourth in the league against the pass (174.6 yards allowed per game).

chris jone — Oct 19, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Chris Jones (95) runs onto the field during player introductions prior to the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Veach, active at the deadline in recent years, also is reportedly in the market for defensive linemen. And the loss of Norman-Lott, a pass-rush specialist, means Kansas City needs both run-stopping help and pass-rush depth.

A promising rookie, Norman-Lott reportedly sustained a torn ACL on a controversial hit by Raiders tackle Stone Forsythe in the second half of Sunday’s game. Officials flagged Forsythe 15 yards for unnecessary roughness on the play that injured Norman-Lott, who had one sack and five tackles in his first five NFL games.

A second-round selection (66th overall) in April’s draft, Norman-Lott leaves a major void in Spagnuolo’s pass-rush rotation. The Chiefs rank 13th in the league in sacks per opponent pass attempt (7.77 percent).

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