Chiefs Make Pair of Defensive Roster Moves

The Chiefs have made two moves to shuffle their defensive roster, releasing a veteran linebacker with local ties.

The Kansas City Chiefs made two roster moves on Tuesday, waiving linebacker Elijah Lee from the 53-man roster and adding defensive tackle Cortez Broughton to the practice squad.

As reported by Charles Goldman of Chiefs Wire, these moves shortly follow the team's release of much-maligned fill-in kicker Matt Ammendola, who was released from the practice squad on Monday. As of Tuesday's moves, the Chiefs have not added another kicker while Harrison Butker recovers from his ankle injury, and no corresponding 53-man roster move was reported.

Lee started the year on the Chiefs' practice squad, was elevated ahead of the team's opener, then was later signed to the active roster. As noted by Goldman, Lee is a vested veteran, which means he does not have to pass through waivers and can choose where to sign next — including the possibility of returning to the Chiefs' practice squad.

Broughton, at 26 years old, has entered his fourth NFL season after being a seventh-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He spent time with the Chiefs in 2021, including one in-game appearance when he took three defensive snaps.

With Ammendola out and without another kicker on the roster, what is the Chiefs' plan for Sunday night in the kicking game?

For an optimist, these moves coming without the addition of a new kicker could indicate that Butker is tracking to heal up in time for the Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football. For a pessimist, perhaps the team is unhappy with its current options on the market. For anyone somewhere in between, it's still too soon to know for sure.

So, what if Butker can't go? Jordan Foote of Arrowhead Report took a closer look at KC's options:

Revisit the kicking derby market for a new face

This may be Plan B to the Plan A of Butker being healthy. When it was reported that the Chiefs would be signing Ammendola to their practice squad on Sept. 12, it was the result of a six-man kicker derby that the team hosted to determine who would be filling in for Butker. Ammendola won the derby by a pretty significant margin, prompting him to be the man for the job. While that option didn't end up working out, could Kansas City simply go back to the list of players who participated in the derby and sign one of them for a week or two?

Multiple derby members are still on the open market, including Cameron Dicker and Cody Parkey. Elliott Fry, who played for the Chiefs in a pinch last season and has some familiarity with how Toub runs things in Kansas City, is the third name of that group to be available. Many speculated when Butker initially got hurt that Fry could perhaps be the club's player of choice — could that come to fruition now? The logic is certainly there for one of them, or even someone else. 

WEDNESDAY UPDATE: On Wednesday morning, Lee tweeted that he's "back" — presumably in Kansas City and possibly on the practice squad.

For more on the Chiefs' Plan A, B and C at kicker in Week 4, click here.