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Kansas City Chiefs set their 16-player practice squad: track the latest signings here

Herbie Teope, Jesse Newell
·2 min read
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The Chiefs continued to finalize their player personnel ahead of the 2022 regular season.

On Tuesday, the Chiefs established their initial 53-player roster. Now it’s time to put together a 16-player practice squad before the Chiefs’ season opener on Sept. 11.

The NFL in recent seasons has tweaked its practice squad rules. The Chiefs can have 10 players with two or fewer accrued seasons, and a maximum of six players with more than four years of accrued service.

The league also increased from two to three the number of games a practice squad player can be elevated to the active roster during the regular season. It’s common for teams to re-sign players who spent time working within their schemes during the offseason and training camp.

Here’s who is joining the Chiefs’ 16-player practice squad:

  • The Chiefs brought back rookie safety Nazeeh Johnson to their practice squad a day after waiving him, a source told The Star. Johnson joined the Chiefs as a seventh-round draft pick in April and was the lone member of the team’s 10-player draft class to not make the initial 53-player roster.

  • The Chiefs re-signed rookie offensive lineman Mike Caliendo to their practice squad, a source told The Star. Caliendo provides versatility to play guard and center.

  • Tight end Jordan Franks is re-signing to the practice squad, a source tells The Star. Franks originally joined the Chiefs on a reserve/future deal during the offseason.

  • The Chiefs signed center Austin Reiter to the practice squad, a source confirmed with The Star. Reiter provides a veteran presence with flexibility to play center and guard.

  • The Chiefs are signing wide receiver Daurice Fountain to the practice squad, a source told the The Star. Fountain, a surprise release on Tuesday, provides depth and an ability to play special teams whenever needed on the active 53-player roster.

  • The Chiefs signed rookie linebacker Jack Cochrane to the practice squad, a source told The Star. Cochrane, an undrafted free agent out of South Dakota, flashed during training for the Chiefs.

  • The Chiefs brought back wide receiver Cornell Powell to the practice squad, a source told The Star. Powell, the Chiefs’ fifth-round pick in 2021, gets another season to continue developing.

  • The Chiefs signed defensive end Azur Kamara to the practice squad, a source told The Star. Kamara, who played collegiately at Kansas, joined the Chiefs in late July for training camp.

  • The Chiefs signed defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth to the practice squad, according to his agent Brett Tessler.

  • Defensive back Zayne Anderson is returning to the Chiefs on the practice squad, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

  • The Chiefs later announced they signed running back Jerrion Ealy, linebacker Elijah Lee, quarterback Chris Oladokun and defensive tackle Danny Shelton, leaving two spots open on the practice squad.