It's been a long week of transactions for the Kansas City Chiefs, and Saturday didn't bring a break from the chaos as Week 1 of the regular season approaches.
Per an evening announcement from the team, Kansas City has signed running back Emani Bailey and defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu to the practice squad. In corresponding moves to make room, the back-to-back Super Bowl champs have terminated the practice squad deals of defensive tackles Matt Dickerson and Neil Farrell Jr.
The Tuipulotu move was expected, as it was reported late on Friday that the Chiefs were adding him into the fold. At the time of the announcement, Joshua Brisco of Kansas City Chiefs On SI noted that players like Farrell and Dickerson already occupied room on the practice squad. With that in mind, it was unlikely (and remains so) that Tuipulotu would see the field anytime soon. The 25-year-old was a sixth-round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft and for now, he helps solidify the interior defensive line rotation on the practice squad.
Bailey, an undrafted rookie out of TCU, toted the ball 10 times for 29 yards during the preseason. The 22-year-old logged over 1,200 rushing yards during his final collegiate campaign with the Horned Frogs, averaging over five yards per touch in his 2023-24 season. Due to a crowded running back room at training camp and during the preseason, however, he couldn't find a spot on the initial roster. He was previously parted ways with on Friday, but he's back for the time being.
Farrell is a former fourth-round pick whom the Chiefs traded for prior to last season. He appeared in three regular-season games for Kansas City, as well as two postseason contests for the eventual Super Bowl LVIII winners. Dickerson, on the other hand, played in a career-high 12 regular-season outings and had 15 combined tackles. He was active for half of the Chiefs' playoff games.
Is general manager Brett Veach done shuffling? It's hard to tell but with players like Samaje Perine, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Cameron Thomas on the 53-man roster, the mandatory cutdown period also saw the Chiefs add multiple pieces. Maneuvering around the numbers game is a juggling act of sorts, so don't be surprised if Kansas City pivots on the practice squad prior to Thursday's season opener against the Baltimore Ravens.
More must-reads:
