Kansas City Chiefs aim to bolster practice squad as they host several players on visits after 53-man roster cuts

The Kansas City Chiefs aren't quite done making additions to the practice squad. Sixteen of their seventeen spaces are spoken for, at least temporarily. However, some forthcoming transactions and tryouts could lead to some changes.

According to reports from KC Star reporter Sam McDowell and Chiefs Digest reporter Matt Derrick, the Chiefs are slated to host a gang of free agents for visits on Thursday with the intention of signing most, if not all of them, to the practice squad. A pair of those players — former Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire and former Lions DT Broderic Martin — are reported to have already signed deals with the team.

But which other players will be in Kansas City for a visit on Thursday? Here's a quick rundown of each player auditioning for a spot.

DT Zacch Pickens

Pickens is easily the top player to get excited about here. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 303 pounds, Pickens is only 25 years old. He's appeared in 26 games with three starts over two seasons with the Chicago Bears, recording 39 total tackles, two tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. The former 2023 third-round draft pick out of South Carolina didn't pan out with the Bears, but sometimes a change of scenery can do wonders for a young player who failed to catch on with a dysfunctional organization. The Chiefs, of course, got a firsthand look at Pickens in preseason Week 3 at Arrowhead Stadium.

DE Ethan Downs

An undrafted free agent out of the University of Oklahoma in 2025, Downs caught on with the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason. He finished his Sooners career with 110 total tackles, 33 tackles for loss, and 12.5 sacks. During the 2025 NFL preseason, the 6-foot-4 and 265-pound edge rusher recorded three pressures, one sack, and two defensive stops according to PFF. The 22-year-old certainly fits the Steve Spagnuolo mold as a high-effort run defender with a frame to match.

DE Tyreke Smith

A former fifth-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2022 NFL Draft, Smith's NFL career was derailed by injury in his rookie year. He didn't return to the field until 2023, at which time he was released and signed to the practice squad in Seattle. He's appeared in just three games, all during the 2023 NFL season. As an Ohio State Buckeye, the 6-foot-3 and 255-pound edge rusher played in 41 games with 17 starts, recording 55 tackles and seven sacks. He was part of the Ohio State National Championship team in 2021. Smith didn't play against the Chiefs in preseason Week 2.

S Jammie Robinson

A former fifth-round draft pick out of Florida State by the Carolina Panthers in the 2023 NFL Draft, Robinson has appeared in 21 games with two career starts. During that span, he recorded 20 total tackles and mainly appeared on special teams for the Panthers. He was waived in December of 2024 and caught on with the Arizona Cardinals, the team that waived him during 53-man roster cuts this year. The Chiefs saw Robinson in preseason Week 1, where he allowed one reception on two targets for 10 yards and recorded four total tackles.