The NFL season is underway, and while fresh faces are celebrating their first real shot, a handful of former Chiefs are still stuck in limbo. Some are waiting for the right injury to open a door. Others may not get that call at all until teams can work around Week 1 and the guarantee window closes for veterans.
Kareem Hunt is one of the names still hanging out there. The Detroit Lions have been the only team to show any real public interest in him over the last few months, and a summer visit never turned into a deal.
That could still change after Week 1, especially with Isiah Pacheco, another former Chief, on injured reserve. If it doesn’t, Hunt may be staring at a long season and an uncertain future.
Mike Edwards is in a different kind of waiting game. He had long been viewed as a natural Chiefs reunion candidate, the veteran safety and special teamer who could steady a young secondary.
This time, though, the picture in Kansas City looks different. Alohi Gilman is now the experienced presence at the top of the depth chart, with the developmental players behind him.
If that group struggles and a younger player like Xavier Nwankpa proves he isn’t quite ready for the NFL yet, Edwards could become an option again.
Tyreek Hill is the big name in the group, and the one with the most obvious path back to Kansas City. Hill is recovering from a gruesome leg injury that ended his season last fall, and he is now a free agent after four seasons with the Miami Dolphins.
If he gets a clean bill of health, a reunion with the Chiefs would make plenty of sense. It’s felt like this move has been waiting to happen since he hit free agency again last February, and if it comes together, Hill could even chase Otis Taylor’s all-time Chiefs receiving mark of 7.306 yards in Kansas City.
Chris Lammons also remains available, and his track record suggests he should find work somewhere. He spent three seasons in Kansas City as a favorite of special teams coordinator Dave Toub before turning that experience into roster spots with the Indianapolis Colts over the last three seasons.
He also picked up more defensive snaps there as injuries hit the secondary. With that kind of resume, a role-player opportunity in 2026 still feels likely, especially if another team gets hit by injuries.
Janarius Robinson is the one former Chief who never really got a chance to show much off the edge. Kansas City signed the former Raiders defensive end to a one-year free-agent deal in 2025, but a preseason injury wiped out his season.
His contract expired last March, and he has been available ever since. He was always on the roster bubble in K.C., but the league’s constant demand for edge rushers means a practice-squad spot still makes sense for somebody.
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Gracie Hunt Is Already Fueling Chiefs Opener Buzz
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Chiefs Fans Are Turning The Season Opener Into A Full Ritual
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The shopping spree is only part of the ritual. For plenty of fans, game day comes with its own set of traditions and superstitions, from what they wear to how they prepare before watching the first snap. It is the kind of seasonal habit that turns a regular opener into something more personal, with every shirt, cap and jersey carrying a little extra meaning once the games begin. [Read more 🡒]