Kansas City Chiefs give preseason standout another shot after spending majority of 2025 NFL season on practice squad

The Kansas City Chiefs are bringing back WR Jason Brownlee for a third season.

Charles Goldman NFL Managing Editor
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Kansas City Chiefs GM Brett Veach continues to build for the future after a disappointing 6-11 2025 NFL season.

The Chiefs have signed over a half-dozen players to reserve/future contracts following the conclusion of the 2025 NFL season. Many of those players were from the practice squad, though a handful were entirely new additions.

On Monday, the team opted to re-sign a familiar face who spent most of the season on the practice squad after standing out in a big way during the preseason. Could that translate to more in 2026? That’s certainly the hope for Kansas City.

Chiefs sign WR Jason Brownlee to reserve/future deal

Brownlee originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent, signing with the New York Jets after going undrafted out of Southern Mississippi. The 26-year-old will enter his third season with the Chiefs in 2026, first signing to the practice squad in Jan. of 2025. He signed a reserve/future contract with the team in February following the Super Bowl LIX loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

A standout training camp led to an opportunity in the preseason, during which Brownlee caught a back-shoulder fade touchdown from Patrick Mahomes against the Arizona Cardinals. That performance ultimately led to a bigger opportunity for Brownlee. With Rashee Rice suspended to start the season, Brownlee made the initial 53-man roster and appeared in six games for the Chiefs. He was targeted only once during those first six games, with most of his contributions coming as a blocker or on special teams. When Rice returned to action, K.C. waived Brownlee and re-signed him to the practice squad.

At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, Brownlee has a body type and skill set that Kansas City needs more of. With several pending free agents at the wide receiver position like Tyquan Thornton, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Hollywood Brown, the Chiefs are wise to bring Brownlee back for another offseason with a shot to further build chemistry and make an impact.

Chiefs wide receivers under contract for 2026

  • Rashee Rice
  • Xavier Worthy
  • Jalen Royals
  • Jimmy Holiday (reserve/future)
  • Andrew Armstrong (reserve/future)
  • Jason Brownlee (reserve/future)