Chiefs castoffs get another NFL shot after surprise Patriots tryouts

For those following the progress of former Kansas City Chiefs players, two familiar names surfaced on the NFL's transaction wire after the New England Patriots held tryouts in their search for further help in the secondary.

Specifically, former Chiefs defensive backs Major Williams and Trey Dean were among players working out in Foxborough with the hope of catching on for the 2025 season. The Pats also worked out defensive backs Malik Dixon-Williams, Doneiko Slaughter, and Tyron Herring.

Williams is likely the more recognizable of the two names for Chiefs fans, since he was on the team's offseason roster as recently as a week ago. The team released Williams as they whittled down active roster cuts and clearly decided against bringing him back onto the practice squad given the limited number of slots in play.

The Chiefs added Williams as an undrafted free agent who began his collegiate career at Virginia before transferring to earn more playing time at Carson-Newman, a private school in Jefferson City, Tennessee. It was there that Williams became a two-time All-American, but he made it clear he could compete with anyone by taking home defensive MVP honors at this year's Hula Bowl.

After impressing the Chiefs enough to be around for the summer, Williams ultimately lost out to fellow competitors Melvin Smith Jr. and Kevin Knowles for practice squad roles. The Chiefs also added vets Mike Edwards and Jammie Robinson as security in the secondary as well.

As for Dean, he was signed during the Chiefs' second consecutive Super Bowl run and brought back on a futures deal for the 2024 offseason. He lasted through the winter and spring before getting cut shortly before training camp last summer. He caught on with the Cleveland Browns, but has been searching for meaningful work since May.

Dean has never appeared in an NFL game despite earning time with the Chiefs, Browns, and New York Jets, but he entered the league with a whopping 62 games of experience at the University of Florida.