Chiefs Sign New International Pathway Tight End, Host Tryouts and Waive Three from IR

The Chiefs kept busy on Friday, waiving three players with injury settlements and signing a new international tight end.

Oct 20, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Tennessee Titans tight end Thomas Odukoya (89) warms up prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

While the Kansas City Chiefs' 53-man roster appears to be largely set ahead of Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season, the team is still tinkering.

According to the NFL's transaction wire, the Chiefs were very busy on September 4.

Chiefs reportedly land new International Player Pathway participant

Among a long list of players who worked out for the Chiefs on Friday, they reportedly found a new 17th member of their practice squad.

According to Matt Derrick of Chiefs Digest, the Chiefs have signed Dutch tight end Thomas Odukoya to the practice squad with the international player exemption that allows teams to carry a 17th practice squad member. The previous longtime holder of that spot, offensive tackle Chu Godrick, was claimed off waivers by the Miami Dolphins after roster cuts.

Odukoya was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and played college football at Coalinga College in California and Garden City Community College in Kansas before spending three years at Eastern Michigan. He joined the Tennessee Titans as an IPP player in 2022 and stayed with the Titans—appearing in two regular season games in 2024—through October 2025 before spending the rest of last season on the New England Patriots' practice squad until he was placed on IR in December.

Chiefs reach injury settlements with three players

Three players who were placed on the injured reserve list ahead of cutdown day have been waived with injury settlements.

Quarterback Chris Oladokun, running back E.J. Smith, and guard C.J. Hanson have all been waived from IR. Any of those three players could return to the practice squad after clearing waivers.

Kansas City tries out long list of tight ends

The Chiefs had 10 tryouts detailed on Friday's transaction report, including Odukoya. Among the other nine, four were tight ends: Rivaldo Fairweather, Cody Hardy, Tre' McKitty and Tyler Moore.

Kansas City also tried out wide receivers Xavier Gipson and Cam Ross, along with three defensive players: defensive tackle Jay Toia, defensive back Larry Worth, and linebacker Taurean York.

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