Chiefs Sign Ethan Hurkett to Roster Amid Multiple DE Injuries

With the Chiefs having multiple DEs banged up, they're going back to the well of previous 2026 UDFA signings to reunite with Ethan Hurkett.

Nov 23, 2024; College Park, Maryland, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes defensive lineman Ethan Hurkett (49) celebrates after tackling Maryland Terrapins running back Nolan Ray (not pictured) behind the line of scrimmage during the second half at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The Kansas City Chiefs have been mostly healthy at 2026 training camp thus far, although the defensive end group has received the bulk of the misfortune on that front.

With Ethan Downs suffering a season-ending ACL injury during the rookie portion of camp and Ashton Gillotte straining his hamstring on Friday, the absences are beginning to pile up for Steve Spagnuolo's group of pass rushers.

In an effort to inject new life into the position for a bit, general manager Brett Veach is going to the undrafted free agent ranks for a fresh body. The Chiefs have signed Ethan Hurkett to the 90-man offseason roster, which had a pair of spots available entering the day.

Chiefs have signed DE Ethan Hurkett to fill one of their empty roster slots. The former Iowa edge initially signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent but was waived after rookie minicamp. He’s back after a couple injuries at edge. Wearing No. 54. pic.twitter.com/tfxNVA7zjX

— Matt Derrick (@mattderrick) August 1, 2026

Hurkett, a former collegiate standout at Iowa, originally joined the team as a UDFA following the conclusion of the 2026 NFL Draft. He was released in May.

During his five campaigns with the Hawkeyes, Hurkett racked up 163 tackles (30.5 for loss) with 15.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. He was one of four players to be a game captain in all 12 outings last season.

Despite being listed by Iowa as 6-foot-3 and 259 pounds, Hurkett came into the draft process with different measurements. His height is true, albeit with 31-inch arms, but he weighed just 244 pounds and recorded only 19 bench press reps. That led to him posting a 6.72 Relative Athletic Score, yet he did have a tremendous 10-yard split (1.64 seconds) and a nice 3-cone (7.15 seconds).

According to Pro Football Focus, Hurkett peaked in 2023 and 2024 with run defense grades of 81.5 and 75.1, respectively. This past season, he had just three missed tackles and managed to amass 19 pressures on 280 pass rush reps.

As the Chiefs continue to sort out who will make the roster at defensive end, Hurkett has an opportunity to prove he's more than just a short-term replacement for camp workouts. While players like George Karlaftis, Gillotte, R Mason Thomas and Felix Anudike-Uzomah's roster spots are secure, there's some uncertainty beyond that.

Downs was expected to compete with Vincent Anthony for a place on the team, but perhaps Hurkett can latch on for a handful of days and add competition to the rotation as the preseason approaches.

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