With less than two days to go until the Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns kick off their AFC Divisional bout, there is again crossover in recent transaction by one of the clubs.
On Friday, the Browns got some good news with the return of Pro Bowl guard Joel Bitonio to the active roster. To make room, Cleveland waived former Seattle Seahawks and Chiefs safety Tedric Thompson.
We’ve made the following roster moves:
Activated from Reserve/COVID-19:
G Joel Bitonio
Waived:
S Tedric Thompson
Unfortunately, Thompson — like Kareem Hunt — won’t get his “revenge” game.
The 6-foot, 204-pound hybrid safety was most recently claimed off waivers by the Browns on November 30 after being let go by the defending Super Bowl champions. While Thompson never saw game action for Cleveland, he registered 13 combined tackles and 43 special teams snaps in eight contests with the Chiefs this season. A fourth-round pick (No. 111 overall) of the Seahawks in 2017, Thompson’s best year came as a sophomore for his original club. Still just 25 years old, another club may look to unlock any remaining potential of the fourth-year veteran this offseason.
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Chiefs Signed WR Antonio Callaway This Week
Cleveland’s decision to part ways with Thompson isn’t the only roster move with familiar ties this week. On Wednesday, Kansas City made waves by signing former Browns and Miami Dolphins wideout Antonio Callaway to a reserve/future contract.
The #Chiefs have signed WR Antonio Callaway to a reserve futures deal, a source tells @YahooSports.
While the new deal doesn’t take effect until the start of the new league year on March 17, the 24-year-old is now one of four players signed to offseason deals by the Chiefs this week. Callaway, drafted by ex-Browns and Chiefs general manager John Dorsey in the fourth round in 2018, is perhaps the most intriguing of the group considering his raw talent and 4.41 speed.
However, a bevy of off-field issues have plagued the University of Florida product dating back to his college days, including a failed drug test at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine, a traffic stop that was amplified nationally by HBO’s Hard Knocks and multiple violations of the league’s substance abuse policy.
Chiefs Name 6 Playoff Captains, Including 2 New Faces
On Friday, the Chiefs also announced its six playoff captains, as voted on by teammates for recognition of their regular season performance and leadership. Among this year’s group are representatives from all three phases of the game, including:
The two newcomers to the group, Butker and Sorensen, are both heading up the special teams unit. Notably, the fourth-year kicker is a strong replacement for veteran punter Dustin Colquitt — who will still get to watch on in appreciation after re-signing to the Chiefs practice squad earlier this month following stops with three different teams this season.
Your 2020 Playoff Captains 🙌
Head coach Andy Reid handles captaincy a bit differently than most clubs, foregoing the regular season for an all-player vote at season’s end. The 22-year veteran elaborated on his methodology in a 2016 interview with Chiefs.com.
“[Former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike] Holmgren did it that way, and I liked it,” Reid told Chiefs.com. “It gave everybody else an opportunity to be a captain throughout the year. It gave the team an opportunity in the playoffs to pick six captains—two on offense, two on defense, two on special teams.”
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Chris Licata is an NFL contributor covering the Kansas City Chiefs from enemy territory in Denver, Colorado. Follow him on Twitter @Chris__Licata or join the Heavy on Chiefs Facebook community for the latest out of Chiefs Kingdom!
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Ex-Chiefs Safety Released by Browns Days Ahead of Playoff Tilt