The Kansas City Chiefs took advantage of their No. 9 waiver wire priority during 53-man roster cutdowns, making two waiver claims. It wasn’t without suffering some losses, though. Opposing teams claimed a trio of players during the cuts, while Kansas City reinforced its defense with a pair of intriguing additions on the other side of the transaction wire.

Running back Emari Demercado will join the Dallas Cowboys. Offensive tackle Chu Godrick will join the Miami Dolphins. Cornerback Melvin Smith Jr. will join the Tennessee Titans. While those three players say goodbye to Kansas City for now, the Chiefs are welcoming defensive tackle Bryson Eason from the San Francisco 49ers and outside linebacker/edge rusher Jack Pyburn from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Pyburn brings preseason dominance to Kansas City’s edge rotation

Pyburn is a fascinating claim because he led the NFL in preseason sacks with four. He intended to return to college football at LSU after clearing waivers, with ongoing lawsuits against the NCAA. The Chiefs didn’t allow him that opportunity. His four preseason sacks, including impressive play against Kansas City during preseason Week 2, now come to Arrowhead Stadium.

The question will be whether this is a bargain-hunting steal or a situation that could blow up in Kansas City’s face. Does he truly want to be in K.C., or does he want to return to college football? The Chiefs need depth at the edge rusher position, and Pyburn seems like the type of player who can provide just that at 6-foot-4 and 258 pounds. Were those four sacks a mirage, or will he actually be able to create some noise on the 53-man roster?

Update: It seems he wants to be in the Chiefs. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Pyburn has withdrawn his claim in the NCAA’s ‘5-for-5’ eligibility litigation and will remain in the NFL.

Eason adds interior depth to the defensive line, but will it come at a cost?

As for Eason, the 24-year-old out of the University of Tennessee was an undrafted free agent in the 2026 NFL Draft. The 6-foot-2 and 323-pound defensive tackle played 13 games with 13 starts in 2025 for the Vols, recording 31 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, a fumble recovery, and three passes batted on 511 career snaps. Stealing him from the 49ers gives Kansas City another young, developmental piece along the interior defensive line. But will it come at a cost?

Will the Chiefs keep five players at the defensive tackle position? Or will Marcus Harris be released from the 53-man roster as a result of the Eason claim? It feels like Harris earned his spot with strong play in training camp and the preseason. However, five interior defensive linemen could be overkill. That could especially be the case with Omarr Norman-Lott on the Reserve/PUP list. We’ll find out who was waived to make room for these players later this afternoon.

Breaking down the 3 players Kansas City lost

Demercado is probably the most notable loss, since the Chiefs cut him unexpectedly. He has a career high of only 413 scrimmage yards but looked to be someone who could potentially carve out a backup role in the backfield. Rookies Emmett Johnson and Brashard Smith replaced him during this preseason, which ultimately made Demercado expendable.

Godrick is another notable departure. He spent the last several seasons on the team’s practice squad as an International Player Pathway program participant. His departure means the Chiefs will have to find another International Pathway player if they want to carry 17 players on their practice squad.

As for Smith, he was a player who actually might have stuck with Kansas City on the practice squad. He’s someone dealing with a rib injury after the final preseason game, so the fact that he was claimed means he’ll likely be healthy sooner rather than later. He’s the third cornerback from Kansas City to end up in Tennessee this offseason, following Joshuaa Williams and Nazeeh Johnson.

The waiver wire period is always a balancing act, and the Chiefs came out of it with two defensive additions that address real roster needs. Whether Pyburn and Eason develop into contributors beyond depth roles will be worth watching as Kansas City heads into the regular season.