Chiefs Announce First Round of 2021 Roster Cutdowns
The Kansas City Chiefs announced their first set of roster cutdown moves on Tuesday morning, removing the required five players from their active roster as the journey to a final 53-man roster begins ahead of the 2021 season.
The Chiefs announced that they waived/injured tight end Evan Baylis and wide receiver Antonio Callaway, waived defensive back Manny Patterson, released wide receiver Chad Williams and placed running back Elijah McGuire on injured reserve.
The waived/injured designation for Callaway and Baylis means they could return to the Chiefs on injured reserve if they clear waivers. McGuire goes directly to injured reserve, removing him from the active roster but keeping him with the team.
On August 10, the NFL announced that unlimited players can be brought back from the injured reserve list in 2021 (as was the case in 2020) and that last season's three-week injured reserve period (as opposed to the previous eight-week period) would continue in 2021 as well. However, as noted by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, "only players on the 53-man roster after cutdown are eligible to be designated for return from IR (or NFI). Limits 'stashing' scenarios."
This means that McGuire (and potentially Callaway and Baylis) could land on the IR with the Chiefs but would not be eligible to return for the 2021 season.
The Chiefs got an early start on Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET/3 p.m. CT cutdown deadline, and they will have to move five more players by the same time next week. Tuesday, August 24 at 3 p.m. CT is the deadline for teams to cut down to an 80-man roster, then teams have to make the leap all the way to their 53-man roster on Tuesday, August 31.
