While the Super Bowl celebrations raged on, the Kansas City Chiefs front office planned for the future signing 12 members of the practice squad to new contracts.
They’re called “reserve/future” deals in the NFL, and they allow you to retain a practice squad player on your new 90-man roster entering the 2023 offseason. The contributors that KC has welcomed back so far according to the NFL transaction wire were:
- Quarterback Chris Oladokun.
- Running back La’Mical Perine.
- Running back/wide receiver Jerrion Ealy.
- Wide receiver Cornell Powell.
- Wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette.
- Tight end Kendall Blanton.
- Tight end Matt Bushman.
- Center Austin Reiter.
- Guard Mike Caliendo.
- Nose tackle Danny Shelton.
- Linebacker Cole Christiansen.
- Defensive back Dicaprio Bootle.
Chiefs media member Charles Goldman of USA Today Chiefs Wire tweeted out the six practice squad players that have not been retained at this time. That alternative list included running back Melvin Gordon, wide receiver Marcus Kemp, tight end Jordan Franks, defensive tackle Phil Hoskins, safety Ugo Amadi and defensive back Zayne Anderson.
QB Chris Oladokun & WR Cornell Powell Headline Offensive Reserve/Future Signings
Kansas City inked way more reserves on the offensive side of the ball, with Oladokun and Powell leading the way.
The former is an intriguing dual threat quarterback prospect that the Chiefs took a flier on just before the start of the 2022 season. They have since been grooming him behind Patrick Mahomes II, Chad Henne and Shane Buechele.
With Henne officially calling it quits after the 2023 Super Bowl, the backup role behind Mahomes is up for grabs next year. Buechele has the inside track at the job, no doubt about it, but someone like Oladokun could get the opportunity to push him for the QB2 spot in training camp.
After beginning his college career with South Florida, Oladokun spent two seasons at Samford, appearing in 19 games with nine starts. That includes 2019, when he completed 169 of 272 passes for 2,064 yards and 18 TD passes, while also getting 127 carries for 493 yards and eight rushing TDs. He went on to play for the South Dakota State Jackrabbits in 2021, completing 238 of 382 passes for 3,164 yards with 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Powell on the other hand is a former fifth-round draft pick from the 2021 class that has stuck with the Chiefs despite never making the active roster. The Clemson product was elevated for three games this season for the first time in his career, but only factored on special teams.
Out of the rest of the group, Bushman and Ealy both showed promise during camp as potential playmakers for Andy Reid to get his hands on. The former suffered a serious injury during the final preseason game while Ealy seesawed on and off the roster all year, but always appeared to have a place within the organization.
Blanton, Smith-Marsette and Perine were mid-to-late season acquisitions, however, with Caliendo practically redshirting a year as a reserve lineman. Of course, the last name on the offensive side of things is Reiter — a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Chiefs.
DT Danny Shelton Headlines Defensive Reserve/Future Signings
There were only three players signed to new deals on the defensive side of the ball, and the biggest name — and figure — is easily the veteran nose tackle, Shelton.
The former first-round pick has eight years of experience in this league, and it was semi-surprising that he never got an opportunity in 2022 outside of 11 snaps in one appearance. Having said that, the Chiefs have some decisions to make at D-tackle with Khalen Saunders, Derrick Nnadi, Brandon Williams and Tershawn Wharton all set to hit the open market in free agency.
Retaining Shelton provides some immediate security in that regard.
Bootle and Christiansen profile as special teams reserves and were always likely to return, but it is a little unexpected that Anderson could walk away from the KC organization. The special teamer had been a staff favorite of Reid, Steve Spagnuolo and Dave Toub in years past.
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Chiefs Sign 12 Players to New Deals Including Potential Patrick Mahomes QB2