Rams poach tight end from Chiefs’ practice squad

The day after the Kansas City Chiefs poached defensive end Benton Whitley from the Los Angeles Rams’ practice squad, the Rams have returned the favor. According to his agent Kenny Zuckerman, Los Angeles has signed Kansas City practice squad tight end Kendall Blanton to its active roster.

This is interesting for several reasons. The 26-year-old Blanton is a native of Kansas City suburb Blue Springs, Missouri. He grew up there because his father is Jerry Blanton, who was a Chiefs linebacker from 1979 through 1985.

The Chiefs also went through some effort to acquire the former University of Missouri tight end. The team tried to claim him when the Rams (the team that originally signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2019) waived him on August 22 — but the Washington Commanders were awarded his contract. The Chiefs got another chance when the Commanders waived him on final cutdown day. This time, he cleared waivers to become a free agent — and joined the Chiefs practice squad on September 1.

Blanton will now return to the team with which he earned a Super Bowl ring in 2021. Under NFL practice-squad rules, he will spend at least three weeks on the Rams’ 53-man roster.