The Kansas City Chiefs made several roster moves ahead of practice on Wednesday as the team prepares for its Week 2 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts on “Sunday Night Football.”

The moves include a starter heading to injured reserve, a practice squad player signing to the full roster, and two new practice squad signings. Let’s break down Wednesday’s roster moves.

Chiefs LB Cooper McDonald heads to injured reserve; FB/LB Ben VanSumeren takes his place

Chiefs HC Andy Reid confirmed ahead of Wednesday’s practice that starting SAM linebacker Cooper McDonald will head to injured reserve. This follows a knee injury McDonald suffered on a special teams play during Week 1’s win vs. the Denver Broncos. McDonald will miss at least four games on injured reserve, and the team will reassess after those four weeks pass. The reassessment will determine whether McDonald’s injured reserve stint extends beyond the minimum.

Replacing McDonald on the active roster is fullback Ben VanSumeren. Kansas City elevated VanSumeren from the practice squad for the Week 1 game against Denver. VanSumeren first signed to the practice squad after the 53-man roster cuts. He played a handful of offensive snaps and contributed on special teams in Week 1 vs. Denver. With the team’s desire to run a more run-centric offense this season, having a fullback/H-back like VanSumeren on the roster has value.

VanSumeren also provides versatility as a two-way player who could boost the team at linebacker. He played linebacker when he entered the league and only recently transitioned to the fullback position in the NFL. That defensive background adds another layer of value for a team now without McDonald for at least a month.

Chiefs make 2 additions to the practice squad, including a familiar face and a new defender

As expected, the Chiefs re-signed cornerback Melvin Smith Jr. to the practice squad. Smith was a 2025 undrafted free agent out of Southern Arkansas who spent the majority of the 2025 season on Kansas City’s practice squad. He spent the offseason as one of the team’s primary cornerbacks, even starting in place of Mansoor Delane and L’Jarius Sneed during the first week of the preseason, when both players were recovering from injuries.

Smith’s return will provide cornerback depth for Kansas City as well as special teams depth for special teams coordinator Dave Toub’s unit. He’s a familiar face who knows the system and can start in a pinch if injuries begin to pile up in the team’s secondary.

The new face on the practice squad is defensive end Michael Heldman, an undrafted free agent out of Central Michigan. Heldman signed with the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 30 but was placed on injured reserve, which would have ended his season in New Orleans. On Sept. 3, he was waived from injured reserve with an injury settlement. That typically means the player is seeking an opportunity to sign with another team, and Heldman has found that landing spot in Kansas City.

The 23-year-old is listed at 6-foot-3 and 268 pounds, which is much closer to Steve Spagnuolo’s prototypical defensive end size. Heldman had two sacks with the Saints during the preseason. He made First-Team All-MAC with Central Michigan in 2025, boasting 16.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks.

To make room for Heldman and Smith Jr., the Chiefs terminated S Tanner McCallister’s practice squad contract. That move was official on the personnel notice for Tuesday.

This is only the beginning of season-long changes to the Kansas City Chiefs’ roster and practice squad

One thing that you learn quickly in the NFL is that the Week 1 roster is only the first iteration for the team. By the halfway point of the season, Kansas City’s 53-man roster and practice squad will look much different. It comes with the territory of traversing 17 regular-season games.

The Chiefs will need all the roster depth they can get as they head into a Week 2 “Sunday Night Football” showdown against the Colts. With McDonald sidelined and VanSumeren stepping into a larger role, how Kansas City manages the roster will be worth watching over the coming weeks.