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A familiar face has rejoined the Kansas City Chiefs.
Following a Saturday report from Yahoo Sports’ Terez Paylor of free agent OL Stefen Wisniewski getting set to sign with the Chiefs, the team officially confirmed the addition to the practice squad on Tuesday. In a corresponding move, the defending Super Bowl champions released CB Lavert Hill to clear a roster spot for the tenth-year offensive lineman.
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In addition, Kansas City will now be without WR/KR Byron Pringle for at least the next three games after placing the 27-year-old on injured reserve after suffering an ankle injury during Sunday’s comeback win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Stefen Wisniewski Cut By Steelers in Early November
Chiefs Kingdom will remember Wisniewski from his brief stint in Kansas City in 2019, which included two starts in 11 regular season games, plus all three playoff contests. The 31-year-old departed this offseason to join his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers on a two-year, $2.85 million deal.
However, Wisniewski’s season was unexpectedly cut short after the Steelers placed him on injured reserve on September 18 following a pectoral injury suffered in Week 1. The NFL’s last remaining undefeated team elected to release the veteran lineman on November 7 amid his three-week practice window upon return from IR.
Wisniewski had drawn interest from his most recent team before the Chiefs, the Philadelphia Eagles, but elected for what is arguably the league’s next most talented roster outside of Pittsburgh. He is now the fourth offensive lineman on K.C.’s practice squad and maintains a potential path to game action considering the dwindling depth along the offensive front, including two starters — RT Mitchell Schwartz and LG Kelechi Osemele — now on IR.
Martinas Rankin Rejoins Roster For Week 12
The Chiefs received another reinforcement along the offensive line this week when OL Martinas Rankin was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday. The 26-year-old, who was recently activated from the Physically Unable to Perform list (PUP) on November 10, was one of three offensive linemen held out of activity due to COVID close contact last week. His linemates, Schwartz and Eric Fisher were both cleared to return prior to Sunday’s primetime matchup in Las Vegas.
The Chiefs’ decision to place Pringle on IR was a corresponding transaction to clear a roster spot after the AFC West leaders were granted a temporary exemption through Tuesday.
The aforementioned depth issues, paired with four offensive linemen listed on the official injury report last week, could open up a door for Rankin to step into a larger-than-expected role in the coming weeks should another starter be forced out of action.
Kansas City will release its first Week 12 injury report on Wednesday ahead of another highly anticipated matchup on Sunday afternoon against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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