Kansas City Chiefs News & Rumors

Chiefs To Sign T D.J. Humphries

The Chiefs are signing veteran offensive tackle D.J. Humphries, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz. This will mark a return to the league for the longtime Cardinals blocker, who has battled back from a major knee injury.

Humphries was medically cleared to return to the field on Friday after an extensive recovery from a torn ACL suffered in December 2023, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. His contract with the Chiefs is worth $2MM with a maximum value of $4.5MM, per Rapoport, a strong deal for a Week 12 signing coming off a significant injury.

Kansas City likely had to offer Humphries more money than he would otherwise collect from the NFL’s injury protection benefit to motivate him to sign, per OverTheCap’s Jason Fitzgerald. He received interest from the Patriots and visited the Giants earlier this season, but left New York without a deal with the team unwilling to accommodate his financial demands. The Chiefs, however, became desperate for tackle help after their difficulty protecting Patrick Mahomes‘ blindside this season and made Humphries a compelling enough offer to move to Kansas City.

The Chiefs came into the season hoping that one of their two young offensive tackles would lock down the left side, but 2024 second-rounder Kingsley Suamataia and 2023 third-rounder Wanya Morris have both struggled. Suamataia won the starting left tackle gig in training camp, but was benched in Week 2 in favor of Morris, who has started every game since. Morris did exit the game in Week 10 due to injury, with Suamataia putting together a disastrous performance in his place. Suamataia was then a healthy scratch in Week 11, forcing the Chiefs to look for tackle help elsewhere.

As an eight-year veteran with a 2021 Pro Bowl appearance under his belt, Humphries certainly fits the bill. He has struggled with injuries throughout his career, but still brings 98 starts of experience to Kansas City, most of them at left tackle. Now, he offers the Chiefs another option at that position as the franchise attempts a Super Bowl three-peat.

Chiefs Exec Mike Borgonzi Expected To Be Popular GM Candidate

GM-needy teams could turn to Kansas City for a front office leader. Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com writes that Chiefs assistant general manager Mike Borgonzi is already the “hot name” that’s circulating ahead of the offseason hiring cycle.

Borgonzi has worked in Kansas City for 16 years, working his way up from college scouting administrator to his current role as right-hand man to general manager Brett Veach. Borgonzi has worked under three GMs during his tenure with the Chiefs (Scott Pioli, John Dorsey, Veach), and it sounds like he’ll finally get a serious shot at running his own front office. The Brown graduate has been linked to several GM gigs over the years. He was connected to the job in Carolina several years ago, and he garnered an interview with the Commanders this past offseason.

Pauline also mentions Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown as a name to watch. Brown was already popular during last year’s cycle, with the executive earning an interview with the Raiders while also landing on the Patriots’ short list of candidates. Brown got his front office start in New England before joining Philly’s operation in 2013. He ended up spending six years with the Eagles, working his way up to director of college scouting. After a few years in the AAF and XFL, he landed with the Bengals in 2021.

Fortunately for both Borgonzi and Brown, there should be plenty of gigs to go around. Josina Anderson recently pointed to at least five GM gigs that will open this offseason (not including the recently fired Joe Douglas with the Jets).

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/19/24

Here are the latest practice squad transactions from around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Washington Commanders

Chiefs’ Marquise Brown Could Return This Season

The Chiefs “haven’t totally ruled out” a late-season return by wide receiver Marquise Brown, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Brown was originally expected to miss the rest of the 2024 season after undergoing shoulder surgery and landing on injured reserve in September. However, the Chiefs’ coaching staff have been monitoring Brown’s rehab process, according to Fowler, and the next month will determine if the 2019 first-rounder can play this season.

Brown’s return would be a major boost to a Kansas City offense that ranks outside of the top 10 in several categories, including points per game, yards per game, and yards per play. The Chiefs just lost their first game of the season to the Bills, with Patrick Mahomes unable to surpass 200 passing yards and just one of his pass catchers recording more than 30 receiving yards.

The Chiefs have just two players averaging at least 50 receiving yards per game: Travis Kelce and DeAndre Hopkins. Kelce has not been as dominant as past years, but Hopkins has settled into Kansas City nicely with 17 receptions for 200 yards in his first four games. Xavier Worthy has impressed as a gadget playmaker but lacks the consistency to be a WR2 on a team with Super Bowl aspirations. Brown is a speedster, too, but he has a more developed skillset that can complement the route-running and veteran savvy of Kelce and Hopkins while allowing Worthy to remain in his role as a home run threat.

Brown signed a one-year, $7MM contract with the Chiefs during the offseason after catching just 51 of his 101 targets for a career-low 574 yards in 2023 with the Cardinals. He was expected to be the latest speedy receiver to find success in Kansas City with Mahomes and Andy Reid, but played just one snap in the preseason before injuring his shoulder.

Brown has dealt with a myriad of injuries dating back to a Lisfranc injury in his last year of college, which combined with his undersized frame to cause pre-draft concerns about his durability in the NFL. However, he played in at least 12 games in each of his first five seasons with an average of 14.4 appearances per year.

Chiefs To Sign WR Tyquan Thornton

Tyquan Thornton saw his Patriots tenure come to an end this weekend. The third-year wideout has not needed long to find a new home, though.

Thornton is signing with the Chiefs, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. To little surprise, this will be a practice squad agreement. Should he find himself on the active roster at some point, though, Thornton will have the opportunity to carve out a role on his new team.

More than 12 teams showed interest, including the Saints, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Thornton thus had a number of potential landing spots, and he has elected to join the two-time defending Super Bowl winners. It will be interesting to see how involved he will be in the team’s offense over the remainder of the campaign.

The 24-year-old failed to become a fixture in New England’s passing game before or after head coach Jerod Mayo‘s tenure began in 2024. Thornton was buried on the team’s WR depth chart, something which led to the Patriots shopping him in advance of the trade deadline. With no deals emerging on that front, the Patriots waived him ahead of their Week 11 contest.

No claims were made, making Thornton a free agent. The former second-rounder expressed a desire to quickly find a new situation, and the Chiefs have obliged. Kansas City has undergone a number of changes at the receiver spot this season, one in which Marquise Brown has not suited up due to injury and in which Rashee Rice has been out since October due to knee surgery. Those absences drove the Chiefs’ pursuit of their DeAndre Hopkins trade acquisition, but another addition is now set to be made.

Thornton entered the league with the potential to serve as a capable deep threat, but he has seen his playing time decrease with each passing season. The Baylor product’s most productive campaign came in his rookie year, during which he posted a 22-247-2 statline. A regular spot in the Chiefs’ offense will not be expected (especially earlier on in his Kansas City tenure), but Thornton could develop into a rotational contributor.

In any event, Thornton’s market value for this spring will be determined by his showings down the stretch. Considering the volume of teams which showed interest in him after being cut, a number of suitors could be in play during free agency. For now, though, his attention will turn to acclimating to the Chiefs’ offense as the team looks to bounce back from its first loss of the year.

Isiah Pacheco, Charles Omenihu To Return To Chiefs Practice

NOVEMBER 17: In keeping with earlier reports on the matter, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says that Pacheco is expected to return to the lineup for the Chiefs’ Week 12 matchup with the Panthers.

NOVEMBER 12: The Chiefs continue to craft escape routes to keep their unbeaten season — and win streak dating back to last year — alive, but their point differential (plus-58, ninth in the NFL) illuminates the tightrope the two-time reigning champions are walking. As Kansas City prepares for a stretch run that features games against the other three AFC division leaders, some help is on the way.

While Rashee Rice is out for the season and Marquise Brown is not in play to return during the regular season, the other Chiefs skill-position player who suffered a major injury early this year is on the road back. Isiah Pacheco is set to practice this week, ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher reports.

Down with a broken fibula that required surgery, Pacheco has been making progress to the point a late-November return is believed to be in play. That would help a Chiefs run game that has turned to retread Kareem Hunt and Broncos castoff Samaje Perine. Additionally, Teicher notes Charles Omenihu is set to join Pacheco at practice this week.

Omenihu is on Kansas City’s reserve/PUP list and would not count toward the team’s in-season activation total. Pacheco would, but the Chiefs are in good shape in terms of activations. They still have seven of their eight remaining. Both players have three weeks to be activated.

Usurping Clyde Edwards-Helaire as the Chiefs’ top running back during his 2022 rookie season, Pacheco has become a key performer during the franchise’s Super Bowl run. Pacheco has started in both the Chiefs’ previous two Super Bowls, generating strong returns on his seventh-round draft slot. Pacheco cranked out 935 rushing yards in his lone season as a full-time starter, adding 313 more in last season’s playoffs. The Chiefs have Pacheco signed on a rookie deal through the 2025 season.

Like Pacheco, Omenihu has three weeks to return to the 53-man roster. The Chiefs have given the veteran defensive end considerable time to recover from the ACL tear sustained in the 2023 AFC championship game. Signed to a three-year, $24MM deal as a free agent in 2023, Omenihu made an impact, tallying seven regular-season sacks and one more in the playoffs last year. This season has marked the second straight delayed start for Omenihu, who served a six-game suspension for a domestic violence arrest to begin his Chiefs tenure.

Kansas City made two trades to help its EDGE situation this year. Weeks after acquiring Cam Thomas from the Cardinals, the Chiefs added Josh Uche from the Patriots. The team has integrated 2023 first-round D-end Felix Anudike-Uzomah into its rotation more this season, but the Kansas City-area native is still playing just 36% of the team’s defensive snaps. Uche working his way into the mix alongside George Karlaftis and the re-signed Michael Danna will not leave as much room for the second-year player, with Omenihu’s reemergence set to factor into this mix again soon.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/16/24

Saturday’s minor moves, including standard gameday practice squad elevations:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Toney is set to make his debut for the regular season. The former first-round pick out of Florida has had a rocky first four years in the league, despite coming away with two Super Bowl rings in Kansas City. He was signed to the Browns’ practice squad just after the season opener and will be eligible to see game action with Cleveland in Week 11.

O’Donnell was added to the 49ers’ practice squad earlier this week given the chance of Mitch Wishnowsky missing time. The latter is now on injured reserve, ensuring at least a four-game absence. O’Donnell, 32, is a veteran of 145 games but Week 11 will mark his first regular season action since 2022.

Harrison Butker Placed On IR; Chiefs Sign Spencer Shrader Off Jets’ P-Squad

NOVEMBER 15: The Chiefs have indeed placed Butker on injured reserve, announcing the move on Friday. The Shrader addition is also now official, and he will now have the opportunity to handle kicking duties for at least the next four games. Butker revealed on social media his surgery was a success, and he will now turn his attention to recovery ahead of a return to action as quickly as possible.

NOVEMBER 14: With the Chiefs winning the bulk of their games by one score, their ace kicker has been crucial to their 9-0 record. The two-time defending champions will soon have a new kicker due to a Harrison Butker injury.

Butker is battling a left knee injury, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, and is likely heading to IR. The injury is expected to sideline the longtime Kansas City specialist for at least three weeks; an IR stay would shelve him for four. As a result, the Chiefs plan to sign Spencer Shrader off the Jets’ practice squad, Pelissero adds.

This injury will require surgery, per Pelissero, as Butker will have an arthroscopic procedure to address the issue. The Chiefs made Butker the NFL’s highest-paid kicker this offseason, re-signing him to a $6.4MM-per-year deal. While Butker’s long-term status is not in question, his availability for this year’s homestretch is.

Butker, 29, practiced fully Wednesday but was limited today. This recent development could be a major issue for the Chiefs, who have seen Butker become one of the NFL’s best kickers over the past several years. Kansas City signed Butker off Carolina’s practice squad in 2017 and have seen him become a long-term weapon. Butker has become the team’s longest-tenured kicker since Nick Lowery.

Butker’s place as a political lightning rod — due to comments made during a commencement address at Benedictine (Kan.) College this spring — notwithstanding, he has continued to be among the NFL’s most reliable kickers. Butker is 18-for-20 on field goals this season, including a 51-yard game-winner to move the Chiefs past the Bengals in Week 2. Butker is 21-for-22 on PATs this season. Shrader, whom the Jets signed shortly before Greg Zuerlein landed on IR, has kicked in two NFL games.

No Pro Bowls have come Butker’s way, but he has been a vital part of the Chiefs’ mission. He kicked a short game-winner in Super Bowl LVII but made a 45-yarder in cold weather to send the Chiefs to that game. Butker also nailed a game-tying kick to force overtime in an all-time playoff thriller against the Bills in 2021 and did the same to force an extra period in Super Bowl LVIII. The latter kick came after Butker set a Super Bowl record with a 57-yarder against the 49ers.

The Panthers drafted Butker in the 2017 seventh round but let him leave for Kansas City due to Graham Gano residing as their primary kicker then. Butker has run into injury trouble in the past; an ankle malady cost him four games early during the 2022 season. This year’s Chiefs team, its unbeaten record aside, has outscored opponents by just 58 points — ninth-most in the NFL. They will now rely on Shrader for the time being, though Butker should be expected back later this season.

A rookie who kicked at South Florida for four seasons and Notre Dame for one, Shrader filled in for Matt Gay in one Colts game this season before kicking in the Jets-Cardinals matchup in Week 10. Shrader is 2-for-2 on field goals, both coming Sunday, and 3-for-3 on PATs (each with Indianapolis). The Jets cut Riley Patterson last week but still have Anders Carlson on their P-squad.

Chiefs Rumors: Reid, Veach, Mahomes, Smith, Hopkins, Smith-Schuster, Hardman

Establishing himself as one of the NFL’s all-time great head coaches during his time in Kansas City, Andy Reid has also operated as the Chiefs’ lead decision-maker. The 12th-year Chiefs HC retains final say on the team’s roster, though he has ceded some power in recent years.

Reid worked with longtime Packers exec John Dorsey during the first four seasons of his Chiefs run but effectively orchestrated a switch in 2017, with Dorsey being fired and ex-Eagles staffer Brett Veach promoted to the GM role. Veach has been at the helm for all three Chiefs Super Bowl wins during the Patrick Mahomes era, and while Dorsey was at the wheel for the trade-up that secured the QB icon (after drafting future Hall of Famers Travis Kelce and Chris Jones as well), Veach was credited with identifying the Texas Tech prospect as a hopeful Alex Smith successor.

[RELATED: Harrison Butker Likely Headed To IR]

In recent years, Reid is believed to have given Veach more say in roster matters, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. Not all GM positions are created equal. All answer to owners (or team presidents, in the Packers’ case), while higher-ranking front office types have stood over GMs in the recent past. Some teams still have head coaches installed as their top decision-makers, though this is not the norm anymore. The Patriots and Seahawks ditched their HC-first models this offseason, respectively firing Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll. The Chiefs have been the NFL’s premier team during Mahomes’ QB1 run and obviously have no reason to change their Reid-centered approach.

Veach did pitch the idea of Mahomes’ 10-year extension to CEO Clark Hunt following the 2019 season, Fowler adds; that deal quickly became a team-friendly pact, with the QB market now at $60MM per year. Mahomes is still tied to the $45MM-AAV accord, and while the Chiefs moved money around to help cover the rising market in 2023, they still have the NFL’s most accomplished active QB signed through 2031. The club has used this as a tool to create cap space annually, completing three restructures to inflate Mahomes’ cap figures down the line.

It is true the Chiefs have used Dorsey-drafted cogs as pillars while Veach’s supporting cast has filled in around the Canton-bound mainstays, but the likes of Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, Nick Bolton and Trent McDuffie have become standouts after being Veach draftees. Veach’s early drafts did not move the needle too far, but his 2021 and ’22 hauls helped form a low-cost core to help support the contracts given to Mahomes, Jones and left guard Joe Thuney. The two-time defending champs will soon face decisions on two members of their standout 2021 class.

Kansas City already paid Humphrey, giving their standout center a deal that topped the center market by a notable margin. Coupled with Jawaan Taylor‘s $20MM-per-year contract already featuring a fully guaranteed 2025 salary, Smith is moving closer to free agency. The Chiefs are still interested in paying Smith, but a re-up for their right guard will be costlier than Humphrey’s, as a fairly wide gap exists between the guard and center markets. Rumblings around the league point to the former sixth-round pick becoming the NFL’s highest-paid guard if he reaches the market, and Fowler adds.

Landon Dickerson‘s $21.5MM-per-year Eagles extension currently tops the guard market, but Smith has been a key part of the Chiefs’ dynasty, having established himself as a Day 1 starter while grading out well in ESPN’s win rate metrics and seeing high Pro Football Focus marks. This has not produced a Pro Bowl yet, but Robert Hunt recently proved no such honors are necessary to fetch a $20MM-per-year guard deal. Smith’s lack of recognition may well change this season, which would further bolster his FA stock.

This year’s round of free agency guard paydays will make Smith tough to keep off the market. Guards are rarely franchise-tagged, due to the tag formula grouping all O-linemen together and thus raising interior blockers’ tender numbers, but the Chiefs could conceivably carve out enough space to cuff Smith with a tag that could cost around $25MM in 2025. The Chiefs are projected to hold just $20MM in cap space, with Bolton unsigned as well. Bolton will not cost as much as Smith to retain, and Kansas City has been more willing to let key defenders walk than cornerstone offensive talent during this run. The Chiefs have expressed interest extending Bolton as well, but the off-ball LB remains on his second-round deal.

Kansas City has allowed defensive regulars to walk frequently during this period, parting ways with the likes of Tyrann Mathieu, Frank Clark, Willie Gay, Juan Thornhill and just about every cornerback to come through under DC Steve Spagnuolo. Bolton has played more than 85% of the Chiefs’ defensive snaps in each of the past three seasons, however. That will create a decision soon. The tag formula also groups on- and off-ball linebackers together. While guard tags have occurred in the recent past (via the Patriots and Thuney and Washington with Brandon Scherff), off-ball LBs are never tagged.

Some in the agent community have not been too fond of the Chiefs for using Mahomes’ team-friendly contract as a talking point during negotiations. It is true Mahomes took less; ditto Kelce. That allowed the Chiefs to give Jones a wildly player-friendly extension this offseason. Agents have pointed to some players being irked by the Chiefs using Mahomes’ contract against them in negotiations. Mahomes and Kelce also have considerable income streams outside of their Chiefs contracts — something most of the team’s other players do not. That certainly impacts a willingness to take hometown discounts.

After clinging to a shaky wide receiver plan last season, the Chiefs indeed poured more resources into their offense this offseason by signing Marquise Brown and drafting Xavier Worthy in the first round. Their plan changed again thanks to the major injuries Brown and Rashee Rice sustained. The Chiefs retained Mecole Hardman, who said (via ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher) he received some outside interest but did not seriously consider leaving Missouri again. Kansas City also re-signed JuJu Smith-Schuster following his Patriots release, turning to their top 2022 wideout in a key role prior to acquiring DeAndre Hopkins.

Prior to obtaining Hopkins from the Titans, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes Veach’s staff approached Reid’s asking whether Hopkins and Smith-Schuster could play together. Week 11 is expected to be the first time Hopkins and Smith-Schuster will suit up together. That marked a key component in moving the Tennessee trade past the goal line, with that deal also illustrating the increased power Veach has assumed since his 2017 promotion.

Veach and Reid secured offseason extensions, with the three Super Bowl wins and four appearances placing the two in commanding position. Veach’s salary within the GM ranks is not known, but Fowler adds Reid is now the NFL’s highest-paid HC at around $20MM per year. Two coaches in Reid’s own division (Jim Harbaugh, Sean Payton) ranking in the top five in coaching salaries undoubtedly helped the Kansas City maestro, with Fowler noting the Chiefs’ latest Reid extension came after two years remained on his previous deal.

Reid’s previous contract had ranked near the bottom of the top 10 among HC salaries. Unlike player deals, teams do not have to disclose these terms. But the Chiefs took care of the architect of their ascent to the league’s mountaintop. Reid, 66, has been linked to retirement for a few years. But the ex-Eagles leader has continued to assure he is not yet strongly considering an exit. Matt Nagy is seen as a potential heir apparent, but the two-time Chiefs OC is also on track to receive outside interest in 2025. That will be an interesting storyline to monitor.

For now, however, the Chiefs’ Reid- and Mahomes-powered machine is still going. Although this year’s squad has offered a high-floor/low-ceiling presentation — thanks to a plus-57 point differential that ranks just ninth in the NFL — the team will chase its 16th consecutive win Sunday against the 8-2 Bills.

Chiefs OC Matt Nagy Could Be 2025 HC Candidate

After his first NFL head coaching gig came to an end following the 2021 season, Matt Nagy returned to the Chiefs’ staff. The ex-Bears head coach has served as Kansas City’s offensive coordinator since the start of last year, and his work in that capacity could have him on the radar of another HC gig.

Nagy “should be in the mix” for a second opportunity to be a head coach during the 2025 hiring cycle, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports. The 46-year-old served in that capacity for the Bears from 2018-21, winning Coach of the Year honors during his first season at the helm. The Bears went 12-4 that year, one which represented the high point of Nagy (and quarterback Mitch Trubisky‘s) time in Chicago. The team went 8-8 each of the following two campaigns, qualifying for the postseason once during that span.

The Bears lost in the wild-card round both times they made the playoffs under Nagy, and the 2021 season produced a record of just 6-11. He was fired and replaced by Matt Eberflus, who oversaw Chicago’s unsuccessful attempt to develop Justin Fields as a long-term answer at quarterback. Expectations are higher for Eberflus and Co. in 2024, the first year with Caleb Williams and an upgraded offensive skill-position corps in place. The Bears’ defense will play a key role in their ability to reach the playoffs, something which would ease doubts about Eberflus’ job security.

Regardless of how Chicago proceeds this offseason, a number of openings are sure to be in place. The Jets and Saints have made mid-season coaching changes, and while Jeff Ulbrich and Darren Rizzi will be eligible to be retained on a full-time basis, those teams will no doubt conduct outside searches as well. Once Black Monday comes and goes after the end of the regular season, more potential suitors will be in play to at least consider looking into Nagy.

“He does everything,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said of Nagy. “He sets up the offense. He coordinates the offense is what he does. And he’s so creative. I knew that when he was a quarterbacks coach, and I saw it when he was a coordinator, and then you saw it in Chicago as their head coach. And then he comes back here, and I want the best out of the guys. So with him you just cut him loose and let him go.”

2024 marks Nagy’s eighth total season on Reid’s staff with the Chiefs, and his third as OC. Of course, the fact he does not call plays is a factor which could work against his candidacy for a second head coaching gig, and other staffers with the same title (like Ben Johnson of the Lions) figure to once again be in high demand. Nevertheless, Nagy’s name could be one to watch over the coming months.