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According to a report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Kansas City Chiefs have signed defensive tackle Terrell McClain.
The #Chiefs are signing veteran DT Terrell McClain, source said. Ninth-year vet spent last season with the #Falcons, and this past offseason with the #Cardinals. Now heads to KC, which needs help with Chris Jones and Xavier Williams both expected to miss time with injuries.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 8, 2019
With starter Chris Jones out with a strained groin — and rotational player Xavier Williams out with a high-ankle injury that could potentially have him out for 4-6 weeks — this is not a surprising move.
According to the NFL’s official transactions report, the Chiefs made room for McClain on the roster by waiving offensive lineman Ryan Hunter, who had 12 offensive snaps during the Chiefs 19-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Hunter had played only on special teams during the two Chiefs games in which he had previously been active.
McClain, 31, was a third-round pick of the Carolina Panthers in the 2011 NFL Draft. He played his college ball at South Florida. He started 12 games as a rookie for the Panthers, but injured his knee late in the season and was placed on injured reserve.
He didn’t make the Panthers’ final cutdown the following year, ending up with stints on both the New England Patriots and Houston Texans in his second year. He stuck with the Texans for one more season before moving on to the Dallas Cowboys, where he spent three seasons. His 2016 season with the Cowboys was easily his best, accumulating 2.5 sacks, seven quarterback hits, a pair of forced fumbles and 39 tackles (21 solo, three for loss) in 15 starts.
Since then, he’s been with the Washington Redskins — where he lasted only one season of a four-year deal — and the Arizona Cardinals.