What Chiefs' Sweeping Roster Moves Mean For Week 1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Chiefs officially have four tight ends on their 53-man roster after promoting Robert Tonyan from the practice squad on Thursday afternoon.

Tonyan takes the spot of wide receiver Rashee Rice, who moved from the active roster to the reserve/suspended by commissioner list on Wednesday. Rice will miss the first six games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

A 6-5, 240-pound veteran out of Indiana State, Tonyan will begin a season on an NFL club’s active roster for the first time in two years. The former college quarterback had a standout preseason for the Chiefs, who initially signed him to their practice squad two days before Christmas last year. He began last season on the Vikings’ practice squad and played just five games, all with Minnesota, and didn’t catch a pass.

TE Robert Tonyan | Dan Powers / USA TODAY NETWORK

Tonyan started six games and played in all 17 for the Bears in 2023, posting 112 yards and no touchdowns on 11 receptions. Chicago allowed him to leave as an unrestricted free agent after the season.

The eighth-year veteran made his mark with Green Bay from 2018-22, including a breakout 2020 campaign in which he caught 52 passes for 586 yards and 11 touchdowns.

After season-ending ACL surgery midway through 2021, Tonyan recorded 470 yards and two touchdowns on 53 catches in his final year with the Packers, 2022.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire returns

Additionally on Thursday, the Chiefs completed their 17-man practice squad by signing five players, including former first-round selection Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Released by the Chiefs toward the end of the 2024 season, Edwards-Helaire signed to the Saints’ practice squad in December and played in two games for the Saints, gaining 46 yards on 13 carries.

The 32nd-overall selection by Kansas City in the 2020 draft, Edwards-Helaire re-joined the Chiefs Thursday after the Saints released him 48 hours earlier. He started 32 games over his first four-plus seasons in Kansas City, averaging 4.2 yards per carry (441 attempts, 1,845 yards), with 12 touchdowns.

Aug 10, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (23) carries the ball against Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Jordan Oladokun (37) in the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Intriguing young defensive tackles

Kansas City on Thursday also signed a pair of former third-round draft choices, Zacch Pickens and Brodric Martin, both defensive tackles. The Chiefs, who re-acquired Derrick Nnadi in a trade and released Mike Pennel in the past week, could promote either Pickens or Martin as a standard elevation before future games.

Pickens wasn’t just a third-round selection in the 2023 draft, he was the first selection of that round, 64th overall by the Bears out of South Carolina. However, he played just nine games over his first two NFL seasons, with one sack. He missed five 2024 games with a groin injury before the Bears waived him on Tuesday.

Martin went to the Lions in the same round, 96th overall, after Detroit traded up to take him. Lions general manager Brad Holmes had a phenomenal 2023 draft, selecting running back Jahmyr Gibbs, linebacker Jack Campbell, tight end Sam LaPorta and safety Brian Branch, but Martin played just two games for Detroit.

Aug 17, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers safety Jammie Robinson (22) bats down a pass meant for New York Jets wide receiver Lance McCutcheon (85) during the second half at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

A 6-5, 326-pound defensive tackle from Western Kentucky, Martin was inactive all of his rookie season and missed much of 2024 on injured reserve with a right knee injury.

Other practice squad moves

Also on Thursday afternoon, the Chiefs signed defensive end Ethan Downs and defensive back Jammie Robinson to their practice squad. To make room for those five practice-squad additions, Kansas City bid farewell to defensive tackle Coziah Izzard and wide receiver Hal Presley.

Kansas City can carry 17 players on its practice squad because it has an exemption for offensive lineman Chu Godrick, who came to the NFL as part of the league’s International Player Pathway program.

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