Transaction Tracker: Updated Chiefs Roster Moves, Aug. 25-27

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – As if their jobs weren’t hard enough already, Andy Reid said last week that general manager Brett Veach, scouts and assistant coaches enter this week of the NFL calendar by giving players five words of advice.

“Just make our job hard,” Reid shared after practice last week. “Make it hard for Veach and his crew and the coaches, to get rid of them.

“It’s a tough day,” he added. “That’s not part of the job you like. But inevitably you got to almost cut half a team. So, that’s not an easy thing.”

Chiefs final cuts are never easy, and this year is no exception.

OnSI will update this list throughout the week with Chiefs transactions as they happen. Check back often for the latest news and analysis.

Sep 22, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi (91) looks to tackle Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Wednesday, Aug. 27

The Chiefs have reportedly inked 15 of the 17 available slots on their practice squad. NFL teams were allowed to begin signing free agents to the list as of 11 a.m. CT on Wednesday. Some familiar faces are included. Here's the full list so far:

Offensive linemen Chu Godrick (international player pathway exemption) and C.J. Hanson, defensive backs Mike Edwards, Kevin Knowles and Melvin Smith, running backs Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Carson Steele, quarterback Chris Oladokun, defensive linemen Coziah Izzard, Brodric Martin and Marlon Tuipulotu, wide receivers Hal Presley and Jimmy Holiday and tight end Tre Watson and linebacker Cole Christiansen.

Tuesday, Aug. 26

DT Mike Pennel: Terminated as a vested veteran, the Chiefs might be planning to re-sign Pennel before the season begins. He was their starter in the middle of their defensive line, although the team acquired Derrick Nnadi in a trade with the Jets on Sunday.

TE Robert Tonyan: Sam McDowell reports the plan is to return Tonyan to the active roster. Terminated as a vested veteran, the tight end doesn't need to pass through waivers.

TE Jake Briningstool: After a late-July hamstring injury, Briningstool hasn't seen the field but the Chiefs placed him on injured reserve with a designated-for-return tag. He'll sit out the first four regular-season games at least.

LB Brandon George: A knee injury landed the non-drafted rookie on season-ending injured reserve.

CB Nazeeh Johnson: After leaving the Aug. 15 preseason game at Seattle with a shoulder injury, Johnson will begin the year on injured reserve/designated for return (he'll miss at least the first four games).

OL Ethan Driskell: Sidelined during training camp after an emergency appendectomy, Driskell was placed on reserve/non-football illness.

WR Elijhah Badger: A non-drafted rookie out of Florida, was placed on waivers.

DE Owen Carney: Waived Tuesday, the defensive lineman was at the bottom of the depth chart.

CB Ajani Carter: A non-drafted rookie out of Houston, was placed on waivers.

OL Dalton Cooper: A non-drafted rookie out of Oklahoma State, was placed on waivers.

S Jacobe Covington: A non-drafted rookie out of Southern Cal, was placed on waivers.

WR Mac Dalena: A non-drafted rookie out of Fresno State, was placed on waivers.

CB Azizi Hearn: A first-year player out of UCLA, was placed on waivers.

WR Jimmy Holiday: A non-drafted rookie from Louisiana Tech, was placed on waivers.

OL Joey Lombard: A non-drafted rookie out of South Dakota, was placed on waivers.

DT Fabien Lovett: A first-year player from Florida State, was placed on waivers.

S Glendon Miller: A non-drafted rookie out of Maryland, was placed on waivers.

LB Xander Mueller:
A non-drafted rookie out of Northwestern, was placed on waivers.

WR Key'Shawn Smith: A non-drafted rookie out of SMU, was placed on waivers.

TE Geor-Quarius Spivey:
A first-year player out of Mississippi State, was placed on waivers.

RB Michael Wiley:
A first-year player out of Arizona, was placed on waivers.

S Major Williams: A non-drafted rookie from Carson Newman, was placed on waivers.

QB Chris Oladokun: Per a source close to the situation -- the man himself -- the Chiefs waived the quarterback. The Chiefs would obviously like to sneak him through waivers and add him to the practice squad after he beat out Bailey Zappe in the preseason.

Bad news: I was waived today.

Good news: if I didn’t have the day off today, I wouldn’t have been able to slam dunk a 40 yard wedge shot for birdie.⛳️😂

Excited for the future!#PositiveVibesOnly
— Chris Oladokun (@1Chrisoladokun0) August 26, 2025

TE Tre Watson: Per Aaron Wilson, the Chiefs are waiving the undrafted rookie. The team is likely to keep four tight ends on the active roster.

LB Cole Christiansen: Matt Derrick reports the team will release the veteran linebacker, who has played in 22 games over five NFL seasons with the Chargers and Chiefs. He initially joined Kansas City in 2022 and played seven games in a Chiefs uniform over the past three seasons.

RB Carson Steele: Aaron Wilson reports the team will part ways with Steele. A surprise rookie free agent in 2024, Steele heads to waivers. The writing appeared on the wall when he fell out of some of the special-teams units in the preseason, and wasn't on the field in short-yardage situations Friday. He's likely to be claimed by another team.

T Chu Godrick: Per Matt Derrick, the Chiefs are waiving the lineman. An International Player Pathway player, he would allow the Chiefs to carry a 17th man on the practice squad if he clears waivers.

LB Cam Jones: Per insider Aaron Wilson, the Chiefs are waiving a key special-teams contributor. This could be an indication that they like Cooper McDonald's upside.

G C.J. Hanson: Herbie Teope reports the Chiefs are waiving the reserve lineman, Kansas City's seventh-round selection in the 2024 draft.

CB Kevin Knowles: Sam McDowell reports the Chiefs are cutting the talented rookie DB, who blocked a PAT in Friday's preseason finale against the Bears.

DT Coziah Izzard: The Chiefs will waive Izzard, per Matt Derrick of Chiefs Digest. Another player pushed farther down the depth chart after Derrick Nnadi arrived Sunday, Izzard is an undrafted rookie from Penn State and also a practice-squad candidate.

CB Melvin Smith: Per Herbie Teope of the Kansas City Sports Network, the Chiefs will waive the undrafted rookie out of Southern Arkansas.

T Esa Pole: McDowell also reports the Chiefs will waive undrafted free agent Esa Pole (pronounced poh-LAY). Pole was a darkhorse candidate to make the roster but the Chiefs no doubt will try add him to the practice squad Wednesday if he can pass through waivers.

DE Nate Matlack: Per Sam McDowell of the Kansas City Star, the Chiefs are waiving the edge rusher out of Kansas State.

DT Marlon Tuipulotu: The older brother of the Chargers linebacker, Tuipulotu likely would've made the roster if not for last week's acquisition of DT Derrick Nnadi. Ian Rapoport reported the release.

The #Chiefs are releasing veteran DT Marlon Tuipulotu, source said, who was made expendable after KC added a DT in a trade. No waivers, as he can be signed at any time.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 26, 2025

S Mike Edwards: According to Tom Pelissero, the Chiefs will release the veteran defensive back. Signed as an unrestricted free agent in April, Edwards missed the preseason finale with a hamstring injury.

Monday, Aug. 25

WR Hal Presley: Aaron Wilson reports the Chiefs have waived the non-draffed free agent from Baylor.

G Dalton Cooper: Matt Derrick from Chiefs Digest reports Kansas City has waived the undrafted rookie, like Kingsley Suamataia a converted tackle.

QB Baily Zappe: Tom Pelissero reports the Chiefs are waiving the quarterback. Zappe played in all three preseason games and has NFL starting experience but the Chiefs clearly preferred Chris Oladokun over the former Patriots quarterback. Zappe finished the preseason with the Chiefs' only two interceptions, and completed 15 of 27 attempts for 104 yards and no touchdowns.

The #Chiefs are waiving QB Bailey Zappe, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 25, 2025

Sunday, Aug. 24

DT Derrick Nnadi: Sorely lacking run-stopping depth behind Mike Pennel, the Chiefs reacquired a familiar face from the New York Jets.

Thursday, Aug. 21

WR Skyy Moore: Kansas City’s second-round selection in the 2022 draft, Moore was a longshot to make the Chiefs’ final roster so they traded him to San Francisco. As part of the trade, the teams swapped their sixth- and seventh-round choices in the 2027 draft.

Reported Chiefs transactions as of Aug. 27, 2 p.m. CT

Practice squad signings

Termination of vested veterans:

DT Mike Pennel, Aug. 26.

TE Robert Tonyan, Aug. 26.

LB Cole Christiansen, Aug. 26.

DT Marlon Tuipulotu, Aug. 26.

S Mike Edwards, Aug. 26.

Traded:

DT Derrick Nnadi from New York Jets with conditional seventh-round selection in 2027 draft; Jets receive Chiefs’ conditional sixth-round selection in 2027 draft, Aug. 24.

WR Skyy Moore to San Francisco with seventh-round selection in 2027 draft; Chiefs receive 49ers’ sixth-round selection in 2027 draft, Aug. 21.

Waived:

WR Elijhah Badger, Aug. 26

DE Owen Carney, Aug. 26.

CB Ajani Carter, Aug. 26.

OL Dalton Cooper, Aug. 26.

S Jacobe Covington, Aug. 26.

WR Mac Dalena, Aug. 26.

CB Azizi Hearn, Aug. 26.

WR Jimmy Holiday, Aug. 26.

OL Joey Lombard, Aug. 26.

DT Fabien Lovett, Aug. 26.

S Glendon Miller, Aug. 26.

WR Key'Shawn Smith, Aug. 26.

TE Geor'Quarius Spivey, Aug. 26.

RB Michael Wiley, Aug. 26.

S Major Williams, Aug. 26.

QB Chris Oladokun, Aug. 26.

TE Tre Watson, Aug. 26.

RB Carson Steele, Aug. 26.

T Chu Godrick, Aug. 26 (international player pathway player exemption).

LB Cam Jones, Aug. 26.

G C.J. Hanson, Aug. 26.

CB Kevin Knowles, Aug. 26.

DT Coziah Izzard, Aug. 26.

CB Melvin Smith, Aug. 26.

T Esa Pole (pronounced poh-LAY), Aug. 26.

DE Nat Matlack, Aug. 26.

WR Hal Presley, Aug. 25.

G Dalton Cooper, Aug. 25.

QB Bailey Zappe, Aug. 25.

Placed on injured reserve/designated for return

TE Jake Briningstool, Aug. 26.

DB Nazeeh Johnson, Aug. 26.

Placed on season-ending injured reserve

LB Brandon George, Aug. 26

Placed on reserve/non-football illness

OL Ethan Driskell, Aug. 26.

Important dates

Tuesday, Aug. 26: Prior to 3 p.m. CT, clubs must reduce rosters to a maximum of 53 players on the Active/Inactive List.

Tuesday, Aug. 26: Simultaneously with the roster reduction to 53 players, clubs that have players in the categories of Active/Physically Unable to Perform or Active/Non-Football Injury or Illness must select one of the following options: Place player on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform or Reserve/Non- Football Injury or Illness, whichever is applicable; terminate or request waivers with the designation of Failed Physical or Non-Football Injury or Illness, whichever is applicable; request waivers; terminate contract; trade contract; or continue to count the player on the Active List.

Tuesday, Aug. 26: Clubs are permitted to designate for return a maximum of two players who are placed on an applicable Reserve List during the business day of the final roster reduction. Any such player will immediately count against the club’s number of designations, even if the player does not subsequently return to practice. ... Players who are on the Reserve List or Exempt List and are not counting against the 90-player limit will begin to count against the 90-player limit.

Wednesday, Aug. 27: Claiming period for players placed on waivers at the final roster reduction will expire at 11 a.m. CT.

Wednesday, Aug. 27: Upon receipt of the subsequent Personnel Notice, clubs may establish a Practice Squad of 17 players, as long as one player qualifies and is designated as an International Player. No club, including the player’s prior club, will be permitted to sign a player to a practice player contract until all clubs have received simultaneous notification via the above Personnel Notice that such player’s prior NFL player contract has been terminated via the waiver system.

Wednesday, Aug. 27: Beginning at 3 p.m. CT, any player placed on Reserve/Injured, Reserve/Non- Football Injury or Illness, or Practice Squad/Injured during the regular season or postseason, may be designated for return later in the season, subject to the applicable procedures.

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