The Kansas City Chiefs will be forming a 10-man practice squad at some point today. They can start doing so after 12 p.m. (Arrowhead Time).
The practice squad is made up of players who ... practice with the team! They’re not part of the 53-man roster but they are part of the team.
The Chiefs initial practice squad will likely be made up of the players that they cut on Saturday. The past few years the Chiefs first practice squad has been made up of all those players, and it makes sense why. They spent the entire offseason with the Chiefs. Somebody like WR Gehrig Dieter, for instance, is a perfect practice squad candidate as he developed a rapport with Patrick Mahomes but isn’t ready yet.
There are eligibility rules in involved, which you can read about here. Basically, this is available mostly to younger players without much or any NFL experience. That’s why you’ll see the Chiefs initial practice squad made up mostly of undrafted free agents and in perhaps one case a draft pick (Chiefs 2017 sixth round pick Leon McQuay, who was cut).
Chiefs practice squad tracker
- DB Akeem King is going to the Chiefs practice squad, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. This is not one of the Chiefs cuts so this is interesting. He’s a former safety who the Falcons tried to convert to corner but ended up cutting. More on him at The Falcoholic.
- WR Gehrig Dieter is going to the Chiefs practice squad. He’s a former Alabama WR who developed a nice rapport with Patrick Mahomes.
- WR Marcus Kemp landed on the Chiefs practice squad, according to Terez Paylor.
- RB Devine Redding to the practice squad, per Terez. This was one we all predicted with the Chiefs running back situation.
- Chiefs S Leon McQuay to the practice squad, per Terez. Called that one up above.
- G Damien Mama to the practice squad, per Terez. He was one of the first players Andy Reid mentioned way back at the Chiefs rookie minicamp in May.
- TE Orson Charles joins Chiefs practice squad. Notable because the Chiefs are carrying three tight ends this year when they’ve carried four in the past.
- OL Joseph Cheek added to the practice squad.
- LB Marcus Rush has also been added. He’s a pass rusher.