Insider: BJ Thompson to Stay on NFI List, Outlook for 2024 Season

A Tuesday morning report indicates that KC will keep Thompson on NFI, also shedding some light on his playing chances this season.

Jan 7, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive end BJ Thompson (53) looks on during the first half against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports / Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs are trimming their roster down to 53 players ahead of the NFL's Tuesday deadline, and the reigning champs are also making decisions on some of their injured or recovering players.

Early on Tuesday morning, it was reported that defensive lineman Charles Omenihu will stay on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list to start this season. He isn't the only pass rusher staying put, as some news has also dropped regarding defensive end BJ Thompson.

Thompson, who suffered a cardiac arrest in a team meeting room during the offseason, will begin the 2024-25 campaign on the non-football illness list. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported the development on Tuesday, adding that "there is optimism" that Thompson could still play this season.

"#Chiefs LB BJ Thompson, who was hospitalized in June after suffering a seizure and going into cardiac arrest during a special teams meeting, will begin the season on the non-football illness list," the tweet read. "He'll miss the first four games, but there is optimism he'll play this season."

#Chiefs LB BJ Thompson, who was hospitalized in June after suffering a seizure and going into cardiac arrest during a special teams meeting, will begin the season on the non-football illness list. He'll miss the first four games, but there is optimism he'll play this season. pic.twitter.com/omC190fVaX

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 27, 2024

As is the case with players on PUP, NFI will require Thompson to miss the Chiefs' first four games. Once that period is over, he'll have four more weeks (unlike three for Omenihu) to begin practicing and ramp back up. If Thompson isn't ready to be activated at that point, he'll be on reserve for the remainder of the season.

At Chiefs training camp late last month, head coach Andy Reid acknowledged that Thompson would be going on the NFI list. At the same time, he also provided a brief update on the second-year defensive end.

"He's still going through some procedures," Reid said. "He's doing great, but he's going through some procedures as we talk here. He'll keep going with that, and we'll keep you updated as we go."

A fifth-round pick in last year's NFL Draft, Thompson played in just one regular-season game for Kansas City as a rookie. The former Baylor and Stephen F. Austin man logged 28 defensive snaps in Week 17's win over the Los Angeles Chargers, recording a pair of solo tackles. He also played 16 reps on special teams, good for 59% of those available.

Staying on NFI is far from bad news for Thompson, and Pelissero's hint that optimism remains for an in-season return is a great thing. Kansas City can afford to be cautious with its former Day 3 draft pick, and he wasn't counted on to be a big part of the defensive end rotation anyway. While Thompson recovers, the back-to-back Super Bowl winners can rely on the rest of their pass-rush pieces (including new acquisition Cameron Thomas) to keep the defense afloat.

Read More: Kansas City Chiefs Roster Cuts, News, Analysis, Practice Squad Tracker