Andrew Armstrong and 8 more roster cuts the Kansas City Chiefs should bring back on the practice squad for 2026
The Kansas City Chiefs waived several players from the roster on Sunday, but some of them could be back with the team as early as tomorrow afternoon. Here’s a look at nine players the Chiefs should bring back.
The Kansas City Chiefs have completed 53-man roster cuts, assembling their first iteration of the team’s roster for the 2026 NFL season.
Several of the players who were waived or released during 53-man roster cuts will return after the waiver wire claiming period. They won’t be back on the 53-man roster, though. Instead, they’ll return as members of the team’s 16-man practice squad.
2026 Practice Squad Rules
These are the types of players that can be signed to NFL practice squads.
- Players who do not have an accrued season (I.E. rookies).
- Players who were on the active roster for fewer than nine regular-season games during their only accrued season(s).
- Up to four players per team with no more than two accrued seasons.
- Up to six players per team with no accrued season limitations (I.E. vested veterans).
- One exempt player in the international player pathway program.
Who could return to Kansas City after waivers to rejoin the team on the practice squad? Here are nine players who make sense for the team.
WR Andrew Armstrong
The good news about the Chiefs’ release of Armstrong is that it’s rare for wide receivers to be claimed during 53-man roster cuts. It’s disappointing because it felt like he really earned a roster spot through his play on the field. He led the team in the preseason with 7 receptions for 85 yards. His blocking was about as impressive as it gets. Plus, he’s just a different style and body type than anything else on the roster.
OT Esa Pole
Pole slid down the depth chart for Kansas City this offseason, playing second-string right tackle and left tackle for the team. With trades for Diego Pounds and Joshua Ezeudu, it felt like the writing was on the wall for his 53-man roster chances. The reality here is that Pole is still very new to football, only in his sixth year playing the game in 2026. He’s going to need more developmental time, and he can get that with the Chiefs if he clears waivers.
RB Emari Demercado
This was a little bit surprising, but so was the team’s usage of Demercado during the preseason. He had 17 carries for just 64 yards and didn’t get much in the way of opportunities on special teams. It felt like he didn’t do anything wrong, but he just couldn’t separate himself the way Emmett Johnson and Brashard Smith did. I think Demercado’s big value is pass protection, but Johnson and Smith also improved there this offseason. I wouldn’t mind if the Chiefs kept him around as a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option.
RB Jaydn Ott
Ott didn’t see any work as a ball carrier during the preseason, but he caught my attention in preseason Week 1. He caught two receptions for 40 yards, including a long catch of 27 yards. That was good for the longest catch of the preseason by any player on the team. It almost felt like the Chiefs were actively trying to hide Ott during the final two weeks of the preseason to sneak him on the practice squad. I’d wager that’s where he winds up.
TE Tre Watson
I stand by the assertion that Watson was the team’s best run-blocking tight end this preseason. The problem is that he doesn’t offer too much as a pass-catcher compared to the other guys on the roster. Yes, I’m aware of his five-yard catch-and-hurdle during preseason Week 3. Still, for a team that wants to do a better job running the football, he’s a player I’d want to try and keep around.
CB D’Arco Perkins-McCallister
Of the several depth players at the cornerback position, Perkins-McCallister had a few flashes during both training camp and the preseason. An undrafted free agent out of Louisiana-Monroe, he had a reputation as a physical, disruptive player at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds. He feels like the type of player that, with a season of development under his belt on the practice squad, could be that much better as a professional.
DE Tyreke Smith
Smith spent all of 2025 on the practice squad, and it really felt like he took a step forward for Kansas City this preseason. He didn’t notch a sack, but he was active and around the quarterback when he was on the field. If they needed him to fill in for a few weeks due to injury, I don’t think there would be a huge drop-off. That might say more about the team’s edge rusher situation. Still, it feels like another year as practice squad depth couldn’t hurt.
DE Ethan Hurkett
It’s rare to get a second opportunity with a team that cut you as an undrafted free agent. Hurkett took full advantage of his second chance with the Chiefs, becoming a standout at training camp. During the preseason, he had a few flashes, but mostly looked overmatched from a physical standpoint. He played 82 snaps, recorded a single tackle, and had a few pressures. A year in an NFL weight program could do wonders for him.
WR Jacob De Jesus
At 5-foot-7, De Jesus is one of the smallest players in the NFL. Don’t let his diminutive size fool you, though. He showed out during the preseason. He’s got juice on both special teams in the return game (6 punt returns for 47 yards). He also has some juice on offense as a pass-catcher (3 receptions for 24 yards). I’d want him back to develop as a return specialist for Dave Toub.
