Ex-Chiefs Draft Pick Leaves KC to Sign With NFC Team: Report

The Kansas City Chiefs saw three former practice squad players leave KC for new teams on February 14 — the headliner being former seventh-round cornerback Nic Jones.

According to sports player agency JL Sports, both Jones and wide receiver/returner Montrell Washington signed reserve/future contracts with the New York Giants. The Athletic’s NYG correspondent Dan Duggan also confirmed these transactions, as did KSHB 41 reporter Nick Jacobs.

Similarly, per NFL reporter Nicholas Moreano, “the [Chicago] Bears announced they have signed former Kansas City Chiefs LB Swayze Bozeman.” Moreano added that “the undrafted rookie out of Southern Miss played seven total defensive snaps and 57 snaps on special teams last season.”

Jones, Washington and Bozeman were all missing from the Chiefs’ initial list of reserve/future signings on February 11, so it makes sense seeing them resurface elsewhere.

While it’s unclear if Kansas City offered these players reserve/future contracts and they chose not to return, or if the Chiefs let them walk, they lost three recent contributors either way.

Each of these three players have appeared in games for Kansas City over the past two years.

After a promising rookie training camp, Jones certainly fell out of favor within the Chiefs organization in 2024. The cornerback prospect suited up for 13 outings as a rookie — including four playoff games — mostly factoring on special teams. He then followed that up with just one appearance this season after initially missing out on the 53-man roster.

Washington and Bozeman were also core special teamers when KC utilized them in 2023 and 2024. The former was a fifth-round pick of the Denver Broncos, but the returner was passed over when the Chiefs chose to promote Nikko Remigio with Skyy Moore and Mecole Hardman injured.

That may have been the final straw as Washington is now pursuing a new opportunity with the Giants, but he did earn a total of 41 ST snaps with Kansas City over the past two years.

Bozeman’s departure might actually be the most surprising of the trio. The undrafted rookie linebacker seemed to be gaining the coaching staff’s trust down the stretch — as he was elevated for three important regular season contests and then all three playoff outings after that.

He served as a sort of special teams ace for coordinator Dave Toub and looked to be on the fast track toward next year’s active roster. Instead, he’s headed to Chicago unexpectedly.

After the Chiefs’ initial 11 reserve/future signings, they brought back two other members of their practice squad as well.

Those signings were announced on February 13, as Jacobs relayed two separate 90-man roster signings of tight end Anthony Firkser and running back Keaontay Ingram.

Firkser is a veteran blocking tight end that chipped in during the 2024 campaign amid several injuries at the position. He appeared in three games for KC, but his NFL career has spanned eight seasons — beginning as an undrafted rookie in 2017.

Ingram first joined the Chiefs in 2023, but he didn’t end up taking the field for Kansas City until 2024, appearing in one regular season game. He’ll continue to serve as veteran depth in the running back room entering 2025 Organized Team Activities (OTAs) and minicamp.