Kansas City Chiefs Terminate Contract of Intriguing Defender

The Kansas City Chiefs made a roster move this week that closed the door on one of their undrafted free agent signees from the spring.

The team waived rookie cornerback Bryce Phillips, creating a corresponding opening for the signing of veteran defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah to a one-year contract.

The transaction was confirmed through the NFL’s official report and reported by multiple outlets covering the team.

Phillips, a 23-year-old defensive back out of San Diego State, had signed with the Chiefs shortly after the 2026 NFL Draft as an undrafted free agent. The deal included roughly $247,000 in guarantees, a notable figure for a player who went unselected, and reflected the organization’s interest in his physical style of play.

At San Diego State, the six-foot, 195-pound corner started regularly over his final two seasons. In 2025 he recorded 34 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and a tackle for loss while allowing a low completion percentage on targets thrown his way, according to available tracking data.

He had previously played at Santa Ana College and Tennessee State before transferring to the Aztecs. Pro day testing showed a 4.56-second 40-yard dash and a 37.5-inch vertical jump, numbers that helped him secure the priority free-agent opportunity in Kansas City.

The decision to part ways with Phillips comes as the Chiefs prepare for the start of the preseason. Ogbah, who previously played for Kansas City and won a Super Bowl with the franchise, returns to provide experienced depth on the defensive line.

The move is a common one during this phase of the offseason calendar, when teams continuously adjust the 90-man roster ahead of final cuts later in the summer.

Phillips now becomes a free agent and will look for opportunities with other clubs, either on active rosters or practice squads as the league continues evaluating depth at cornerback.

For the Chiefs, the secondary remains a point of focus after significant changes in recent months. High-profile departures and new additions have reshaped the defensive backfield, leaving less margin for undrafted rookies who have not yet distinguished themselves in camp.

Phillips’ release, while expected for many undrafted players in this window, still ends a brief chapter that began with measurable investment and hope that his toughness and coverage traits would translate.

Whether he lands elsewhere in the league will depend on how other teams view the limited sample of his professional work and his college production.

The roster shuffle continues in Kansas City as the team fine-tunes its depth for the 2026 season.