Chiefs Cut 24-Year-Old DB Unexpectedly Following Reunion: Report

The Kansas City Chiefs have announced a roster move on the morning of July 22. Chiefs Digest media member Matt Derrick was among the KC beat writers who relayed the news to the public.

“Another roster move for the Chiefs Monday morning,” he said. “Former Mizzou safety Tyree Gillespie has re-signed with the club. Team waived safety Trey Dean to make room on the roster. Gillespie wearing No. 46.”

Dean was a bit of a longshot to make the final 53 because of the safety depth that’s already ahead of him, but the 24-year-old was certainly a candidate for the practice squad and his early departure is unexpected. Instead, Kansas City will elect to bring back the more experienced Gillespie, another familiar face with this coaching staff.

Trey Dean Shouldn’t Last Long on Open Market

So far, Dean has had an NFL career that has included a lot of “almosts.” He was almost drafted but ended up joining the New York Jets as a priority UDFA. Then he almost made the Jets’ 53-man roster as a rookie before falling short during the final cutdown.

From there, it was reported that other teams showed interest in Dean, but he elected to return to the Jets on a practice squad deal. Later — after the conclusion of the regular season — the youngster was given a choice between staying in New York on a reserve/future contract or leaving for the Chiefs playoff run. He chose the latter.

After about a half of a calendar year in Kansas City, however, Dean is back on the open market. Having said that, a promising prospect like himself shouldn’t last long in free agency during the training camp period.

Whether it’s a reunion with the Jets or a look somewhere else, the former Florida Gators safety is likely to find another opportunity in short order — and perhaps that’s the reason the Chiefs let him go now, compared to a month from now.

Tyree Gillespie Returns for Yet Another Stint With Chiefs

Gillespie is becoming another staff favorite of Andy Reid and company, although the former Las Vegas Raiders draft pick has never actually appeared in a regular season game with KC.

After bouncing around the league from 2021 through 2023 and spending time with the Raiders, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans, Gillespie first signed with the Chiefs in December of 2023.

The defensive back was released about a month after that, but then re-signed to a reserve/future contract after the Super Bowl. May of 2024 featured Gillespie’s most recent departure from the franchise. He was part of a mass exodus that included seven total cuts.

The releases were announced in correspondence with 17 undrafted rookie signings. Although it seems Kansas City saw enough from the physical and athletic 25-year-old to reunite with him one more time ahead of the 2024 campaign.

Gillespie has more special teams experience than defensive at the NFL level but played plenty of safety at Missouri. Sports Reference CFB lists 41 appearances for Gillespie over four years of college with 146 total tackles, 6 tackles for a loss, 2.0 sacks, 12 pass defenses and one forced fumble.

In 2021, Bleacher Report draft scout Cory Giddings wrote that Gillespie “works best in deep coverage, where he can see the play develop.” He also added that the DB “may be best served as a deep Cover 3 safety” in the pros.