The Kansas City Chiefs have added some depth to their secondary, signing cornerback Tanner McCalister to a futures contract, according to the league transaction wire.
McCalister, 26, is no stranger to the NFL grind. After going undrafted out of Ohio State in 2023, he initially signed with the Cleveland Browns. While he didn’t make the 53-man roster coming out of camp, the Browns kept him close by stashing him on their practice squad-a move that signaled they saw potential worth developing.
That potential got another look when the Denver Broncos brought him in on a futures deal ahead of the 2024 season. McCalister stuck around through the preseason and again landed on the practice squad.
Throughout the season, he bounced between the active roster and the practice squad, ultimately earning a futures contract for 2025. But the Broncos opted to move on, waiving him in June of last year.
His journey didn’t end there. The Jets took a flyer on him last offseason, but he didn’t make it to Week 1, getting waived before the regular season began. Still, McCalister stayed in the mix, logging brief stints on both the Chiefs and Broncos practice squads late in the 2025 season.
In terms of on-field action, McCalister saw the field in three games for Denver in 2024, recording one tackle. It’s a modest stat line, but it underscores the kind of role he’s played so far-depth, special teams, and a guy who can step in when needed.
For Kansas City, this is a classic low-risk, developmental signing. Futures contracts are all about building out the 90-man offseason roster with players who have upside or familiarity with the system. McCalister has now spent time in several NFL buildings and has seen enough action to understand what it takes to stick around.
The Chiefs clearly saw something they liked when he was with them briefly last season, and now he’ll get a full offseason to make his case. With Kansas City’s defense continuing to evolve under Steve Spagnuolo, especially in the secondary, McCalister will have a shot-however narrow-to earn a role, whether that’s as a depth piece, special teamer, or someone who pushes for a spot in camp.
It’s a long road for undrafted players, but McCalister’s still walking it. And now he’s doing it with the defending champs.