Kansas City Chiefs 53-Man Roster Cutdown Tracker
By 3 p.m. on Saturday, the Kansas City Chiefs must have no more than 53 players on their roster for the 2020 season. As the Chiefs make moves throughout the day, we'll update all of them here on Arrowhead Report.
To get your day started, check out my 53-man roster projection and full Chiefs season preview story and Jordan Foote's 53-man projection.
Have questions or comments? Leave them in the comments section below and I'll answer them throughout the day!
Our Saturday cutdown tracker begins below, in chronological order:
- Kansas City waived veteran safety Adrian Colbert, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. For more on Colbert, click here. This would indicate that in the battle of veteran safeties who the Chiefs added mid-camp, former Seattle Seahawks safety Tedric Thompson has the inside track for a roster spot, though is certainly not a lock.
- Kansas City cut UDFA C/G Darryl Williams, according to Herbie Teope of The Kansas City Star, who notes that Williams may be a practice squad candidate.
- The Chiefs waived running back Elijah McGuire, according to Teope. McGuire was the likely odd-man out in the Chiefs' running back room, but could return to the team's practice squad.
- KC released WRs Maurice Ffrench according to Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star and Justice Shelton-Mosley, according to Teope.
- The Chiefs released WR Jody Fortson, according to Matt Verderame of Fansided. Fortson was a training camp darling for the second consecutive year and seems to be a frontrunner for a practice squad spot in 2020.
- Another receiver off the 53-man: the Chiefs are waiving WR Gehrig Dieter, according to Teope. In this whirlwind of receivers being released, Fortson and Dieter seem most likely to end up on the practice squad.
- The Chiefs are releasing OL Ryan Hunter, according to Terez Paylor of Yahoo Sports. Hunter played a few snaps with the team last year, but KC will be looking for o-line depth elsewhere in 2020.
- Kansas City has waived cornerback Chris Lammons, according to Paylor, who notes that Lammons played 145 defensive snaps for Miami in 2019. Corner is an uncertain spot for the Chiefs, but with rookies L'Jarius Sneed and BoPete Keyes, the team added some other young developmental prospects this offseason who appear to have won out. (For some morning reading, check out this piece by Jordan Foote on BoPete Keyes.)
- From Tucker Franklin in the comments: "Glad to see the practice squad extended from 10 to 12 this season. Hopefully guys like Jody Fortson and Gehrig Dieter can both find spots there." I have good news, Tucker! The practice squad was originally set to increase to 12 in 2020, but because of COVID, it's actually 16, just for this year! Six of those spots can be used for veterans, the other 10 are reserved for your usual practice squad young guys. Plus, teams can protect as many as four of their squad players from signing to another team's active roster. For more of a breakdown on those rules, check out this story.
- The Chiefs have waived TE Daniel Helm, according to Teope. Helm was a mid-camp addition for the Chiefs and seemed to be firmly behind tight ends Travis Kelce, Ricky Seals-Jones, Nick Keizer and Deon Yelder on the depth chart. Teope says Helm could be a practice squad candidate. My hunch at this point, as I projected on my 53-man depth chart, is that Kelce, Keizer and Seals-Jones make the 53-man roster and Yelder is one of the veteran practice squad members. Teope notes that the Chiefs carried two tight ends on the practice squad in 2019.
- Chiefs WR Marcus Kemp has made the 53-man roster, according to Nate Taylor of The Athletic. Kemp returned to the Chiefs during this year's training camp after tearing his ACL and MCL in 2019.
- Not cutdown news, but worth noting: the Houston Texans have signed QB Deshaun Watson to a mega-deal, adding four years to his time in Houston. In those four years, he'll make about $50,000 more in average annual value than Patrick Mahomes will over that same period.
- The Chiefs have waived rookie safety Rodney Clemons, according to Teope. Clemons got a bit of hype towards the end of camp, and he could be a practice squad candidate.
- Things have been slow on the news front, but here's some theorizing for you on Matt Moore potentially not being on the active roster with a rule that applies for 2020:
- The Chiefs are waiving QB Jordan Ta'amu, according to Teope. Ta'amu was an XFL standout and still has a chance to work as the Chiefs' developmental quarterback on the practice squad. With Chad Henne as the clear QB2 behind Mahomes and Moore as the gameday-ready third option, moving Ta'amu to the practice squad makes sense.
- The Chiefs have reportedly released RB DeAndre Washington, according to Field Yates of ESPN. This is the first decent surprise of the day from my view, as Washington was a logical fit in the Chiefs' offense. Kansas City seemed likely to carry four running backs into the season, but the team is clearly comfortable with the trio of Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Darrel Williams and Darwin Thompson, after releasing Elijah McGuire and DeAndre Washington today. This is obviously good news for Thompson, the second-year back who Arrowhead Report's Sam Hays wrote in favor of earlier this week, though Hays also made a case for Washington to hold a prominent role in the Chiefs' offense.
- Safety Tedric Thompson has reportedly made the Chiefs' roster, according to Taylor. After the team released fellow veteran safety Adrian Colbert this morning, Thompson's spot seemed likely. For more on Thompson, click here.
- Taylor is also reporting that the Chiefs have been impressed with rookie Mike Danna, who is making the roster and may be active in Week 1 with a chance to see the field. Arrowhead Report's Jordan Foote wrote about Danna earlier this week.
- The Chiefs are waiving rookie LB Omari Cobb, according to Teope. Another young practice squad candidate.
- Safety Armani Watts has made the 53-man roster, according to Taylor.
- DT Devaroe Lawrence is being waived, according to Teope.
- Another receiver, this time a highly sought-after undrafted free agent, Kalija Lipscomb has been released, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Pelissero notes that the Chiefs gave Lipscomb $110,000 guaranteed as a UDFA and that he'll likely be a practice squad candidate.
- Tight end Nick Keizer has made the initial roster, according to McDowell. Keizer has been a hot name out of training camp and could have a significant role in 2020.
- ...What are the Raiders doing?
- Chiefs DE/DT Demone Harris has made the roster, according to Teope. Harris could provide some much-needed depth inside through the first two weeks of the Chiefs' season.
- Chiefs DL Tershawn Wharton has made the Chiefs' 53-man roster, according to McDowell.
- The Chiefs' full cutdowns have been released, and I'm discussing them and have them all listed in this new story right here on Arrowhead Report.
