Minor NFL Transactions: 11/27/17
Here are today’s minor NFL moves:
Detroit Lions
- Promoted from practice squad: S Roland Milligan
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Bradley Marquez
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: TE Ross Travis
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DB Kevin Peterson
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on injured reserve: OT Erik Magnuson
- Placed on injured reserve: RB Raheem Mostert
Poll: Should The Chiefs Start Patrick Mahomes?
The Chiefs looked to be one of the best teams in the NFL after a 5-0 start. However, the team has taken a nosedive as of late, losing three straight games and dropping five out of their past six.
A major reason for the hot start had been the outstanding play they’d been getting from veteran quarterback Alex Smith. Known as one of the better game managers at the position, Smith had been criticized for his inability to carry the Chiefs to victory on his own. However, Smith was a legit MVP candidate earlier in the year, throwing the ball down field more, while continuing to limit mistakes. The team already had a solid roster across the board, considering that they finished as the AFC’s second best team heading into the playoffs last season. Smith also was given exciting playmakers in TE Travis Kelce, WR Tyreek Hill and rookie RB Kareem Hunt.
Still, even with all these weapons and a weak conference, the Chiefs find themselves in a real fight to just make the playoffs. This has led to speculation that Kansas City could turn to rookie backup Patrick Mahomes for a little shot in the arm. Although the team clearly thinks highly of their 2017 first round pick, head coach Andy Reid stayed committed to Smith after the Chiefs loss today.
That’s not where I am at right now,” Reid said in today’s postgame press conference (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com).
Reid is notably close to the vest, but even he can’t deny that his team is in a bad way right now. Replacing Smith with Mahomes would be a huge risk considering that despite his great raw ability, the former Texas Tech QB was classified as incredibly raw coming into the draft.
It’s a storyline that we didn’t think would hold any credence given the Chiefs fast start, but there might be increased noise to make this move if Kansas City can’t turn things around in the weeks to come.
Chiefs Notes: Smith, Mahomes
- Chiefs coach Andy Reid told reporters after Sunday’s game that he didn’t consider replacing Alex Smith at quarterback. He also says he isn’t thinking about turning to Patrick Mahomes in KC’s next game. “That’s not where I am at right now,” Reid said (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). Smith had a rough outing on Sunday, leading many to call for the first-round rookie to take his place. The Chiefs – who are still in the mix for the AFC West crown – have dropped three straight and five of their last six.
- The Chiefs need to start thinking about a shift to Mahomes, ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher argues. The Chiefs were the league’s last unbeaten team at 5-0, but their playoff position is now in serious peril. It would be a lot for KC to ask Mahomes to take over right now, but Teicher is of the opinion that the Chiefs should make the switch if Smith falters again. Smith, entering his age-34 season, is under contract for 2018 at a $20.6MM cap number. The Chiefs can save $17MM and eat just $3.6MM by releasing him before June 1, however. Installing Mahomes as the starter could help the Chiefs salvage this season while better informing their big decision in the offseason.
Chiefs Will Not Bench Alex Smith; Revis To Debut Next Week
After jumping out to a 5-0 start this year, the Chiefs have lost four of their last five games, making themselves vulnerable to the surging Chargers and even the Raiders in the AFC West. The team’s offensive struggles have contributed to that swoon, and quarterback Alex Smith has fallen off a bit after a torrid first half. He is coming off a miserable performance in Kansas City’s loss to the lowly Giants last week, but Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that the Chiefs would only turn to rookie first-rounder Patrick Mahomes if Smith were to get hurt. Smith will remain under center the rest of the year, though Kansas City still plans to shop him in the offseason as it prepares to usher in the Mahomes era.
- New Chiefs CB Darrelle Revis will likely make his Kansas City debut next week, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/23/17
Here are the Thanksgiving Day moves.
Chicago Bears
- Signed: LB Howard Jones
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: DL Cam Thomas
Details on Revis Contract, Cam Thomas Released
Darrelle Revis is back in the NFL after signing with the Chiefs yesterday. Now we’re learning a little more about what his new contract looks like. The 32-year-old cornerback’s deal is for two seasons and has team incentives that could up the overall value of the agreement, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Rapoport adds that Revis will receive an extra $1.75 MM if he plays in an AFC title game and an additional $1.75 MM if Kansas City wins the Super Bowl. The Jets would not be on the hook for that extra cash. It remains to be seen how effective the former All-Pro will be in his return, but he does add depth to a secondary that’s allowing the fifth most yards through the air so far this season.
- In order to make room for Revis on the active roster, the Chiefs have waived defensive tackle Cam Thomas, reports Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. The 30-year-old defensive lineman had only played in game this season after appearing in all 16 games from 2013-2015. Releasing Thomas leaves the team without a backup nose tackle as the only backup defensive lineman on the roster are Rakeem Nunez-Roches and Jarvis Jenkins.
Dorsey Gives First Interview Since Firing
- Former Chiefs general manager John Dorsey sat down with ESPN’s Adam Schefter on his Know Them From Adam Podcast to give his first interview since being fired in June. In the interview, which the Kansas City Star’s Blair Kerkhoff recapped, Dorsey didn’t address his departure much outside of saying he’s had better days. He did claim he wanted to make a return to football, however. “I know I can do my job with the best with my peers in the National Football League,” Dorsey said. “I’m very proud of being able to help an organization re-establish their winning ways, and I think that’s important.”
Chiefs Sign Darrelle Revis
The Chiefs announced that they have signed Darrelle Revis. He’s still collecting a paycheck from the Jets, so the Chiefs’ deal for him will help to lessen New York’s obligation. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that it’s a two-year deal for the cornerback, with no guaranteed money in 2018. He’ll be making the minimum in 2017.
“Darrelle is a proven player in this league and we are excited to add him to our secondary,” Chiefs General Manager Brett Veach said. “He’s had a Hall of Fame career and his leadership and playing experience will be valuable to our defense.”
Revis has 485 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 137 passes defensed, 29 interceptions, six forced fumbles, and 12 fumble recoveries for his career. He also has a Super Bowl ring thanks to his time with the Patriots and seven Pro Bowl nods. He started all 15 of his games for the Jets in 2016, compiling 43 tackles, one interception, and five passes defended. He ultimately ranked as the league’s No. 64 corner in 2016, per Pro Football Focus
“We’re excited to add Darrelle to the roster,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said. “He has experience and familiarity with Bob Sutton’s defense, he’s a team guy and we feel like a player of his caliber can help our football team.”
Revis had been determined to play this season, but there wasn’t a whole lot of intrigue in the veteran. Besides a pair of unidentified teams expressing interest back in May, we only heard definitively that the Chargers (along with a “handful” of other teams) had reached out to the cornerback.
Reid told Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star that Revis will eventually slide into the starting lineup (Twitter link). With All-Pro Marcus Peters manning one side of the field, that means former sixth-rounder Kenneth Acker will likely move to the bench. The Chiefs could ultimately look to move on from one of their cornerbacks, as they’re also rostering Terrance Mitchell, Steven Nelson, and Phillip Gaines.
Bears Sign K Cairo Santos
The Bears are signing free agent kicker Cairo Santos, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Of course, with Santos in Chicago, Connor Barth is out of a job. 
Santos met with both the Bears and Bucs recent weeks. When he visited with the Bucs, he was not yet healthy enough to resume playing. When the Bears met with him, he still had a bit to go in rehab and the inconsistent Barth was coming off of a strong performance. Now that Santos is healthy and Barth has faltered again by missing a game-tying field goal in Sunday’s loss to the Lions, the timing was right for a change.
Santos spent his entire career with the Chiefs until a groin injury slowed him this year, causing the team to cut him in September. Before his release, he converted 3-of-3 field goal tries this season and went 6-for-6 on extra points. Last year, he nailed 31 of 35 field goal tries, good for fifth in the league amongst kickers (88.6%).
Next up for Santos and the Bears is a tough road matchup against the red-hot Eagles.
Hali, Ford Out For Week 11
- The Chiefs will be without two key pass rushers when they travel to New Jersey to take on the Giants this Sunday. Both Dee Ford and Tamba Hali have been ruled out for the contest, according to Adam Teicher of ESPN.com (Twitter link). This is particularly interesting development in the case of Hali because the team took the cautious approach to resting him by putting him on the PUP before the start of the regular season. However, he remains on the sideline despite being placed back on the active roster. Kansas City will lean on Frank Zombo with these pass rush specialists unavailable. Getting to the quarterback has been an issue for the team, as the Chiefs currently rank in the bottom half of the league in terms of sacks, racking up just a combined 19.0 through ten weeks.