The Kansas City Chiefs’ have been quiet on the roster front in the early days leading up to a Week 14 showdown in Miami, however, one former Chiefs player was on the move on Tuesday.
According to the NFL’s official transaction report, the Philadelphia Eagles have signed rookie cornerback Lavert Hill to the team’s practice squad.
Roster Moves: #Eagles have signed CB Lavert Hill to the practice squad and protected the following practice squad players:
RB Jordan Howard
DB Elijah Riley
CB Kevon Seymour
LB Rashad Smith
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Lavert Hill Cut by Chiefs in November
The 5-foot-11-inch, 181-pound Michigan product was originally part of a deep undrafted free agent class for the defending Super Bowl champs following April’s NFL Draft. Hill was a part of the team’s final 53-man roster cuts on September 5, but quickly reverted to the practice squad.
He last played for the Chiefs on November 24, when he was released from the practice squad to make room for the return of OL Stefen Wisniewski, who started in Super Bowl LIV back in February.
While Hill didn’t last in Kansas City for the long run, The Draft Network’s director of scouting Kyle Crabbs noted that the 22-year-old has some “admirable toughness and feisty play at the line of scrimmage.”
Here is his career projection for Hill from a scouting report dated March 28:
Lavert Hill projects as a low end corner prospect and will likely need to find a consistent role on special teams if he’s going to stick consistently on a 53- man roster. Hill’s lack of size and speed are problematic and a troublesome duo to overcome in looking for upside as a potential NFL starter. Hill’s short area agility isn’t where you’d like it as a smaller D-gap defender either; and so he’s a bit in between roles for the outside (not long/strong enough) and inside (tackling/quickness).
Hill joins two other corners — fellow rookie Jameson Houston and fourth-year veteran Kevon Seymour — on Philadelphia’s practice squad heading into the final four weeks of the 2020 regular season.
Andy Reid Shares Update on Khalen Saunders’ Role
Earlier this week, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid provided a key update on 2019 third-round pick Khalen Saunders, who has been inactive for the past five games dating back to the team’s Week 8 matchup against the New York Jets. After a solid rookie campaign in which Saunders primarily played in a reserve role, posting 22 tackles and 1.0 sack in 12 games, his 2020 season was halted almost immediately after suffering a dislocated elbow in the first quarter of Week 1.
The 24-year-old defensive tackle was fortunate to avoid surgery, but was still forced out of action until Week 7. Since playing 15 snaps and recorded a single tackle against the Broncos that week, the second-year defender has mostly been missing in action. On Monday, Reid suggested that while Saunders’ recovery is part of the reason behind his recent healthy scratch status, the depth along the defensive line is also factoring into the decision.
“That and some of the other guys that have been in there have done ok,” said Reid on December 7. “You put one up, you’ve got to put one down. That’s one of the negatives of when you get injured. Somebody steps in and does pretty good, then that’s what goes on. He’s definitely a good football player and his time will come here.”
In addition to the usual suspects along the defensive interior — Chris Jones, Mike Pennel and Derrick Nnadi — one of the biggest culprits responsible for Saunders’ lack of playing time has been Tershawn Wharton. The undrafted free agent out of Missouri S&T has burst on to the scene in 2020, emerging as one of the league’s most impressive defensive rookies to date, according to Pro Football Focus.
The #Chiefs now have two of the eight highest-graded rookie defenders with 200+ snaps in the NFL!
CB L’Jarius Sneed
• 74.3 Overall (3rd, DB1)
• 0.69 Yards/Coverage Snap
• 28.5 Passer Rating
DI Tershawn Wharton
• 68.0 Overall (8th)
• 13 Pressures (T-5th)
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Chris Licata is an NFL contributor covering the Kansas City Chiefs from enemy territory in Denver, CO. Follow him on Twitter @Chris__Licata or join our Heavy on Chiefs Facebook community for the latest out of Chiefs Kingdom!
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Former ‘Feisty’ Chiefs Cornerback Lands With Eagles