Chiefs sign former Bears wideout to practice squad

According to a report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Kansas City Chiefs have signed former Chicago Bears wide receiver Dazz Newsome to the practice squad.

Listed at 5 feet 11 and 190 pounds, the 23-year-old wideout was drafted out of the University of North Carolina in the sixth round (221st overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft. He spent all of last season on the Bears’ practice squad. He appeared in three games, catching two passes (on five targets) for 23 yards. He also collected six punt returns for 75 yards.

After he missed much of the offseason with a broken collarbone, Chicago released Newsome toward the end of training camp. After the Tennessee Titans poached Chris Conley (and Daurice Fountain asked to be released) from the practice squad last week, Kansas City was short on wide receiver depth. Newsome will join Marcus Kemp, Cornell Powell and new addition Ihmir Smith-Marsette on the practice field.

The Chiefs now have 53 players on the active roster, along with 15 of the 16 players permitted on the practice squad. When taxi-squad running back Jerrion Ealy’s suspension ends — which should be after the Los Angeles Chargers game on November 20 — Kansas City will be back to 16 players. The Chiefs may decide to make a practice-squad addition before then — but if they do, they’ll have to make room for Ealy during Thanksgiving week.

With this signing, we estimate that Kansas City has $2.8 million available under the salary cap.