Getty Former Carolina Panthers DT Phil Hoskins (right) is joining the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Kansas City Chiefs have made a roster move during their postseason bye, signing former Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Phil Hoskins to the practice squad.
Announcing the acquisition was the 6-foot-5 lineman himself, voicing a message for Chiefs Kingdom on Twitter. “Lookin forward to this opportunity with the Chiefs,” Hoskins wrote. “Let’s get it #ChiefsKingdom.”
Lookin forward to this opportunity with the chiefs. Let’s get it #ChiefsKingdom
According to Chiefs Wire’s Charles Goldman and NFL reporter Aaron Wilson, running back/returner Jerrion Ealy was the corresponding cut in this swap. That detail was later confirmed on the NFL’s official transaction log.
Phil Hoskins Known for Length & Get-Off
Hoskins was a seventh-round draft pick with the Panthers in 2021, but he was a bit of a raw prospect with just one season as a starter at Kentucky. While he was there, he registered four sacks and 7.5 tackles for a loss, plus two turnovers forced in 25 appearances.
NFL Network draft expert Lance Zierlein noted his potential during a scouting report in 2021, calling him a “candidate for the bottom of the roster or the practice squad” — which proved accurate.
He reasoned: “Despite just a single season as a starter at Kentucky, Haskins is an interesting study as a prospect whose playing style doesn’t necessarily match his traits. His 83 3/8-inch wingspan (34 3/8-inch arms) will get teams excited and he has good overall size to go with it. However, his playing style leans more to his snap quickness than his length, as he’s much more consistent at searching for gaps than controlling the action with his hands. He’s nimble and very active in both the run game and as a rusher, and his spin-counter is a legitimate weapon in attacking the pocket. If he can get his hands and feet to work in skilled harmony, he might have life as a rotational 3-technique in a one-gapping front.”
Later, in Carolina, he only played in eight games with one sack and one tackle for a loss (six total tackles). That production was based on 72 defensive snaps and two special teams snaps.
Hoskins is the latest in a steady effort by general manager Brett Veach to add defensive tackle depth throughout the 2022 campaign. He’ll join Danny Shelton and Daniel Wise on the current KC practice squad.
Chiefs Cut Jerrion Ealy for the Third Time
It’s been a rough journey in the league for undrafted rookie Jerrion Ealy so far. After being cut at the end of training camp, the running back turned wide receiver hybrid was signed to the practice squad ahead of Week 1.
Then in October, he was suspended six games for violating the NFL policy on performance enhancing drugs. That led to his second release in late December — after Ealy returned from the reserve list he was placed on during his suspension — followed by a prompt offer to re-sign in early January.
The Ole Miss product profiled as a potential jack-of-all-trades for KC. With the way they were using him in training camp, he might even be considered a direct understudy to a pass-catching back like Jerick McKinnon.
He was also known for his ability as a kick returner out of college. Some analysts even pegged Ealy as a dark horse to make the roster because of that “ace in the hole” skill set and Kansas City’s obvious need in that department. In the end, running back Isiah Pacheco proved to be an above average kick returner, but Veach has held onto the practice squad UDFA just in case.
It would not be shocking in the slightest if the Chiefs once again bring Ealy back at a later date on a reserve/future contract.