Chiefs Release Former Third-Round Pick on Wednesday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Rowan Fisher-Shotton | Last updated Jun 11, 2025 6:07 PM ET

The Kansas City Chiefs closed out the 2024 NFL season with a historic run that saw them finish with a 15-2 regular-season record, secure their ninth consecutive AFC West title and advance to their third straight Super Bowl, before falling to the Philadelphia Eagles, 40-22, in Super Bowl LIX.

Under head coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach, the Chiefs once again demonstrated their status as league elites, led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Offseason momentum has remained high in Kansas City.

The team moved swiftly in March, signing a crop of rising talents to reserve/future contracts, including running back Keaontay Ingram, wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, tight end Robert Tonyan and defensive tackle Siaki Ika.

Unfortunately, NFL insider Aaron Wilson reported on Wednesday that the Chiefs have now waived Ika, a player who spent the 2024 season on Kansas City’s practice squad and signed a reserve/future contract in February.

#Chiefs waive Siaki Ika
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) June 11, 2025

Ika began his collegiate career at LSU, where he was part of the Tigers’ 2020 CFP National Championship team. He transferred to Baylor in 2021 and earned Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year honors, followed by back-to-back first-team All-Big 12 selections in 2021 and 2022.

Drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round (98th overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft, Ika saw limited action as a rookie and was waived during final roster cuts in August 2024.

After brief practice-squad stints with the Browns and Eagles, he landed in Kansas City in December 2024 and inked a reserve/future deal this past February.

While official team communications have yet to specify the rationale, the move aligns with typical offseason roster trimming ahead of mandatory minicamps.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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