A Tough Break for Travis Kelce’s Backup! Chiefs Release 5 Players, Including a Familiar Face: A Surprising Cut
Less than one week after they selected seven players in the 2025 NFL draft, the Kansas City Chiefs made some notable subtractions to their roster on Wednesday.
Kansas City bolstered its offensive line with first-round offensive tackle Josh Simmons out of Ohio State, bulked up its front seven with second-round defensive tackle Omar Norman-Lott, third-round edge-rusher Ashton Gillotte, and fifth-round linebacker Jeffrey Bassa, and shored up its secondary with third-round cornerback Nohl Williams.
Some of those moves, along with the team’s yet-to-be-announced group of undrafted free agents, made a handful of roster players expendable, which is why the Chiefs released tight end Anthony Firkser and linebacker Shaun Bradley, and waived tight end Baylor Cupp, offensive guard McKade Mettauer and safety Jason Taylor II on Wednesday, according to Pro Football Talk.
The team also received an international roster exemption for offensive tackle Chu Godrick.
Firkser, a 30-year-old career backup who’s spent six seasons with the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons, joined the Chiefs back in November as a member of their practice squad. He played 24 offensive snaps and 27 special teams snaps, though he did not record an offensive statistic he registered one solo tackle on kickoff coverage.
Cupp also appeared in one game for the Chiefs but he didn’t record any statistics.
Despite losing two tight ends on Wednesday, the Chiefs still have a logjam at the position behind Travis Kelce. Kansas City returns Noah Gray and Jared Wiley, and it signed Robert Tonyan in free agency after he spent last season with the Chicago Bears.
The Chiefs also signed Clemson rookie Jake Briningstool as an UDFA. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound pass-catcher had an impressive career with the Tigers, logging 127 catches, 1,380 yards, and 17 touchdowns over four seasons
