Rising from Setbacks: Chiefs sign 11 players to reserve/future contracts

Per the NFL’s official transactions report, the Kansas City Chiefs signed 11 players to Reserve/Future contracts on Tuesday. All ended the season as members of the team’s practice squad.

Staying with the team are quarterback Chris Oladokun, wide receivers Jason Brownlee, Justyn Ross and Tyquan Thornton, tight end Baylor Cupp, tackle Chukuebuka Godrick, defensive linemen Siaki Ika and Fabien Lovett, cornerbacks Darius Rush and Eric Scott, and safety Deon Bush.

Previously, the Chiefs had signed linebacker Shaun Bradley and safety Jason Taylor III to reserve/future deals.

Oladokun, Ross, Cupp and Bush all saw game action with the Chiefs during the season. Cupp ended the year on the practice squad injured list. Godrick has been with the Chiefs for the last two years under an international exemption. The coming days may reveal if he again receives the designation.

Bush has been with the Chiefs since 2022 — sometimes bouncing between the active roster and the practice squad as needs arise.

Thornton is a former second-round selection of the New England Patriots who joined Kansas City’s practice squad in November after being released. Ironically, New England selected Thornton with the 50th selection of the 2022 NFL Draft after trading up with Kansas City. Shockingly, he is not the only player on the list to be selected via the Chiefs trading down.

The Dallas Cowboys traded up with the Chiefs to the top of 2023’s sixth round (178th overall) to select Scott, a product of Kansas’ Basehor-Linwood High School. The Chiefs claimed Scott off of waivers in August, but he would ultimately join their practice squad after being waived by Kansas City a few days later.

With Chris Jones currently the Chiefs’ only defensive tackle signed for 2025, attention should be paid to Lovett and Ika. Lovett signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent last spring and was waived at the end of training camp. Ika was a third-round selection of the Cleveland Browns in 2023, but he has played in only four career games.

A Reserve/Future contract offers a (usually) non-guaranteed minimum salary that takes effect at the start of the new league year in March. Essentially a tryout opportunity, staying on the Chiefs’ roster for training camp may depend on other roster moves made this offseason.

When watching the offseason salary cap, observers will quickly note minimum salary increases for 2025. With three credited seasons, Bradley and Thornton’s cap numbers will be listed at $1.1 million. Ross’ two accrued seasons likely puts his minimum salary at just over $1 million. Brownlee, Ika, Rush, Scott and Taylor should be listed at $960,000.

Based on available information, Cupp, Godrick, Lovett and Oladokun do not meet service time requirements for an accrued season. The first-year minimum salary for 2025 will be $840,000.

Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Each minimum figure is increased by $45,000 from 2023-24.

With nine credited seasons, Deon Bush’s veteran minimum is $1.255 million. Because of the veteran salary benefit, his cap charge (barring the possibility of a small bonus) will only be $1.03 million — the minimum figure for players with two credited seasons.

When official, these signings will give the Chiefs 48 players signed for 2025. Early projections showed the Chiefs between $11 million and $15 million under the salary cap. At this moment, the league has not actually confirmed the 2025 cap amount — and the Chiefs still do not have 51 players signed to the offseason roster. While we prepare our projections at Arrowhead Pride, it is safe to assume the Chiefs are effectively near or slightly above the limit — and that moves will be made over the next few weeks to give general manager Brett Veach flexibility in free agency.

The following players ended the season on Kansas City’s practice squad and were not listed among the players signing Tuesday: linebackers Swayze Bozeman and Cole Christiansen, tight end Anthony Firkser, running back Keaontay Ingram, cornerbacks Nic Jones and Steven Nelson, and wide receiver Montrell Washington.