The Kansas City Chiefs made a roster move and a practice squad move on Thursday to address their defensive line depth.

With DT Peter Woods tracking to miss his second consecutive game, and second-year DT Omarr Norman-Lott still working his way back from a knee injury, the Chiefs are signing DT Marcus Harris to the 53-man roster. In a corresponding move, Kansas City brought back DE Jack Pyburn to the practice squad. The team released Pyburn alongside Nikko Remigio when it traded for WR Josh Downs.

Why the Chiefs needed to sign Marcus Harris to the 53-man roster

You might recall that Harris made the team’s initial 53-man roster after a standout performance during training camp and the preseason. In preseason Week 3, he led the defense with six tackles. He was also the only interior defensive lineman to record a tackle for loss, and he had three. That included back-to-back tackles for loss that helped force the tie against the Seahawks.

The performance earned him a spot on the initial 53-man roster. However, the Chiefs waived him in a subsequent roster shuffle and promptly re-signed him to the practice squad.

Under normal circumstances, Harris would be a player the team simply elevates from the practice squad via a standard elevation. The problem is that last week’s game against the New York Jets marked his third and final practice squad elevation of the 2026 NFL season. He can’t be elevated again until the postseason, when practice squad elevations reset.

What the move says about Kansas City’s defensive tackle depth

On the surface, promoting a player already on the practice squad seems like a minor transaction. It’s a good sign that Harris earned the coaching staff’s trust, but the move also speaks to how dire the situation has become at defensive tackle.

Had the Chiefs not signed Harris to the 53-man roster, Kansas City would have had only three eligible interior defensive linemen. That isn’t a workable number for Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, which relies on rotating bodies along the front to keep players fresh.

Harris won’t solve every problem up front, but he gives the Chiefs a reliable body who knows the system. His preseason tape also suggests he can make a few plays behind the line of scrimmage when given the opportunity. His quick first step can give interior offensive linemen fits in both the run and pass game.

Chiefs bring back DE Jack Pyburn to the practice squad

To open a spot on the practice squad, the Chiefs went back to a familiar name. Pyburn was one of the team’s waiver claims following 53-man roster cuts. Fox Sports Tampa Bay Buccaneers reporter Greg Auman first reported his return to Kansas City. If you’re not familiar with Pyburn, the former LSU Tiger was a preseason standout with the Buccaneers. He led the NFL in preseason sacks, which put him on the Chiefs’ radar in the first place.

Pyburn hasn’t played in a single game for the Chiefs this season. Even so, his return to the practice squad suggests Kansas City views him as a long-term developmental option. The Chiefs will continue developing Pyburn on the practice squad alongside players like DE Michael Heldman. For now, the focus is on getting enough healthy bodies along the defensive front to survive until Woods and Norman-Lott are back in the lineup.