Roster cutdown day always leaves a trail of familiar names, and this year was no different for former Chiefs trying to land on their feet elsewhere.
While Kansas City fans were focused on the Chiefs getting from 90 players down to 53, several ex-Chiefs were dealing with the same brutal reality around the league. Some of them still have a path back onto a roster.
Others are looking at practice squads. A few saw a decent preseason do little to change their fate.
Khalen Saunders is one of the more interesting names to watch. The defensive lineman had a solid summer with the Tennessee Titans, but he got squeezed out by a loaded group led by Jeffery Simmons and John Franklin-Myers.
Saunders came into the league as an uber-athletic prospect out of Western Illinois and was a third-round pick by Kansas City. Since then, free agency has sent him to the Saints, and he’s bounced from the Jags to the Jets to the Titans since 2025.
With Omarr Norman-Lott likely headed to IR, a return to Kansas City isn’t a crazy idea.
Carson Steele also made noise in preseason, just not enough noise to survive the final cut. The running back drew the kind of buzz in Philadelphia that he once did in Kansas City, and he backed it up by leading the Eagles in receiving this preseason with 14 receptions, 133 yards, and 2 touchdowns. That production should get him a look somewhere, maybe even back on the Eagles’ practice squad.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s stop in Dallas ended quickly after a preseason that never got much traction. The former Chiefs deep threat helped Kansas City win two titles during his time there, but the last two seasons have been a grind. He’s moved from New Orleans to Seattle to San Francisco to Pittsburgh to Dallas since leaving Kansas City, and the Cowboys moved on after a forgettable preseason marked by notable drops in exhibitions.
Shane Buechele’s situation was more predictable. The Bills let him go, but that was expected, and he should be right back on the practice squad behind Josh Allen and Kyle Allen for the '26 season. There was a time when Kansas City had to keep him on the active roster because the Arizona Cardinals were eyeing him on the practice squad, but that never turned into a real path to the Chiefs’ QB2 job behind Patrick Mahomes.
Wanya Morris also found himself on the move after the Falcons traded for him in June to address offensive tackle concerns. By late August, Atlanta had moved on completely.
Morris is still only 25, and the fact that a team gave up something for him just a few months ago suggests he’ll catch on somewhere, even if it’s only on a practice squad. Still, the drop-off is hard to miss.
Baylor Cupp was released by the Cardinals before active rosters were due, which wasn’t exactly a shock. He had been trying out for multiple teams weeks into the preseason.
Cupp first entered the NFL as a priority free agent signing with the Chiefs back in '24, and he may have done enough in Arizona to earn a practice squad shot. If not, he may have to wait for injuries to open a door.
Mecole Hardman is another familiar name without a clear next step. He spent most of last year with the Bills after arriving in November, and he was hoping to stick around into a new season.
Instead, Buffalo cut him loose. Hardman played his first six NFL seasons in Kansas City, but a reunion with the Chiefs doesn’t seem likely, even with the return game lacking dynamism last year.
Bailey Zappe’s latest shot didn’t last either. The Jets gave him a chance this summer, but he ended up following the same path he did a year ago with Kansas City, when he never seriously pushed Gardner Minshew for the QB2 role and was cut after one rough preseason performance after another.
Malik Herring has been through this kind of late-summer squeeze before, and it happened again with the Titans. The defensive end, who spent several seasons as the final name on the Chiefs’ depth chart at his position, followed general manager Mike Borgonzi to Tennessee. He could still surface after the regular season begins, but for now he’s been let go at the deadline.
In Other News...
Missouri Suddenly Has A Courtroom Problem Before The Season Opener
A few days before Missouri opens the season, Sterling Webb has added a legal wrinkle to the Tigers preparation. The defensive tackle, who is listed on Missouris depth chart and expected to play in the opener, filed a new temporary restraining order against the University of Missouri and its Board of Curators as part of the fight over his eligibility.
The motion is aimed at stopping the school from declaring him ineligible for the 2026-27 season, and it comes with a Wednesday hearing already on the calendar. That same hearing will also address the NCAAs motion to dismiss Webbs original request, leaving Missouri in the middle of a courtroom issue at a moment when the focus is supposed to be on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Just Got Pulled Back Into A Mark Mitchell Twist
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For Kentucky, the detour is a reminder of how quickly a recruiting battle can change late in the process, especially when eligibility questions enter the equation. Mitchells decision leaves the Wildcats looking elsewhere while Missouri gets the benefit of momentum on the roster-building front, even if the full ripple effect of the switch will play out over time. [Read more 🡒]
Mark Mitchell Could Give Mizzou A Huge Boost If One Thing Breaks Right
Missouris offseason picture got a little brighter with the reported arrival of Mark Mitchell, a familiar name in a transfer market that has reshaped plenty of rosters around the country. After backing off his previous commitment to Kentucky, Mitchell is now being viewed as a potential boost for the Tigers, the kind of addition that can change the look of a rotation and give the program another proven piece as it keeps sorting out its roster.
The catch is simple, and it matters. Mitchell is pursuing a fifth year of eligibility, but that part of the process is still not confirmed, which leaves the situation in a holding pattern even as the fit in Columbia makes plenty of sense on paper. For Missouri, it is the sort of development worth watching closely, because if the final piece falls into place, the Tigers could have a meaningful upgrade before the season picture comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]