Getty Kansas City Chiefs safety Deon Bush (#26).
Free-agent safety Deon Bush has agreed to return to the Kansas City Chiefs on a one-year deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter on March 12.
Free-agent safety Deon Bush is returning to the Chiefs on a one-year deal, per source.
Bush, 30, is entering his third season with the Chiefs. He played the 2023 season on a one-year, $1.1 million contract.
During the 2023 season, Bush played in 16 regular season games and was primarily a special teamer, playing 77% of the team’s special teams snaps and 18% of the defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Reference.
The signing will become official when the new league year begins, which is on Wednesday, March 13 at 4 p.m. Eastern Time.
Chiefs Sign TE Irv Smith Jr.: Report
Schefter also reported on March 12 that the two-time defending Super Bowl champions agreed to a one-year deal with free-agent tight end Irv Smith Jr.
Smith, 25, was a second-round draft pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2019 out of Alabama. Standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing 240 pounds, Smith is a well-rounded TE who can be effective as a blocker and receiver. But injuries and inconsistencies have him on his third team in as many years.
Coming off of a season in which he caught just 18 passes for 115 yards as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals kept Smith’s price tag low heading into free agency. That’s why Kansas City was able to add him as depth behind Travis Kelce and Noah Gray.
Twitter/X Reacts to Chiefs Signing Irv Smith Jr.
Users on X, formerly Twitter, reacted to Kansas City signing Smith.
“Presuming that Blake Bell is not coming back.. Irv Smith Jr. was lauded for his athletic ability coming out of Bama but has surprised folks with his blocking since being drafted to the Vikings and then to Cincy,” PJ Green of Fox 4 in Kansas City wrote. “#Chiefs could actually get some useful reps from TE3 this season..”
“Irv Smith has been disappointing during his career so far,” Adam Best of Arrowhead Addict wrote. “But he’s only 25, which is young in tight end years. Former top 50 pick. Very Veach. Solid bargain shopping but this could mean the Chiefs won’t draft a tight end.”
“Irv Smith is the kind of signing where we probably need to see if he actually makes the team,” Jared Sapp of Arrowhead Pride wrote. “The Chiefs are not bypassing a TE they like in the draft because of Smith. It could be a good signing and he’s only 25. We are also the fans that got excited about Ricky Seals Jones.”
“Some of y’all need to learn to give people a chance. I’m looking forward to seeing what Irv Smith can do in an Andy Reid scheme, with the best QB in the league, lined up with the best TE in the league. Some fun 3 TE sets coming up,” another user wrote.
“It’s FIRMLY Kelce and Gray as 1-2 at tight end for the Chiefs. Irv Smith is here to compete for TE3 role and even that’s not a given,” Matt Conner of Arrowhead Addict wrote. “(Brett) Veach likes to take these chances on kids with draft buzz, but few have turned out to be anything meaningful.”
“Irv Smith could be a huge addition to the offense with Kelce’s snaps decreasing or he could not make the team out of camp,” Price Carter of Arrowhead Addict wrote. “Wide range of outcomes for a guy who has struggled to stay healthy and never put it all together. Solid lottery ticket.”