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As of now, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Elijah Lee will have to wait on his official promotion to the 53-man roster. KC Star beat reporter Herbie Teope was among the media members that alerted fans of his potential return after he was named as a surprise cut on August 30.
“Chiefs will carry TE Blake Bell (hip) on [the] initial 53-player roster and release LB Elijah Lee,” he tweeted. “Lee doesn’t have to go through waivers as a vested veteran. I’m told the Chiefs will place Bell on IR after [the] 53 [is] set, and then bring back Lee to [the] roster.”
Lee did sign to the practice squad but he has yet to reclaim his role on the active roster. Instead, the Chiefs decided to “elevate” the linebacker/special teamer for Week 1.
Chiefs Elevate Elijah Lee & Daurice Fountain
Along with wide receiver/special teamer Daurice Fountain, Kansas City announced that Lee will make the trip to Arizona and most likely log snaps against the Cardinals. It’s important to note that neither player will technically join the 53-man roster, however, remaining on the practice squad for now.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport shared the NFL and NFLPA elevation rules for the 2022 season on May 25.
“A practice squad player may be elevated to a club’s Active/Inactive List for a maximum of three regular-season games in the same league year and any number of postseason games in the same league year,” the press release stated.
Furthermore, two eligible players can be elevated from the practice squad each week in order to appear in games. Elevations are not subject to the waiver system and revert back to the practice squad after the week is over.
The Chiefs roster currently still sits at 52 men, one short of the NFL mandate.
Expected Roles for Lee & Fountain
Arrowhead Pride film analyst Ron Kopp Jr. noted that “Lee was taking the starting snaps at SAM linebacker for the majority of the preseason, although rookie Leo Chenal appeared to start in the last exhibition game.”
He pondered whether Lee might even get the start this weekend in three-linebacker sets while voicing that the newcomer should see heavy usage in the special teams department either way. ST coordinator Dave Toub spoke very highly of Lee this summer.
“Elijah Lee is doing outstanding,” Toub told reporters during training camp. “He’s a guy that has veteran experience on special teams. I’m counting on him. Hands down.”
The same could be said of Fountain, a special teams favorite from 2021.
“Fountain is a guy that we’re going to rely on,” Toub admitted during the same press conference. “Him and [Noah] Gray, these are carryover guys… [Fountain’s] a guy that played a lot of downs for us. He’s in the mix too.”
Both should see plenty of work in Toub’s unit, which has been forced to rebuild after the partial overhaul in Kansas City this offseason.
These call-ups come as no surprise after the Chiefs chose to go light at wide receiver (five) and linebacker (four) during the cutdown. You can almost guarantee that this was always head coach Andy Reid’s Week 1 plan — and we do love it when a good plan comes together.
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