KC Chiefs Sign Former Steelers, Lions DL Isaiah Buggs to Practice Squad

Kansas City adds a veteran interior defensive lineman with experience for the stretch run as the postseason approaches.

While the Kansas City Chiefs' Week 18 game against the Los Angeles Chargers doesn't have playoff implications, the team is still thinking ahead. On Thursday, general manager Brett Veach is making an addition along the fringes.

Per a report from Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Kansas City is gaining former Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs to the practice squad. 

Veteran DL Isaiah Buggs is signing with the #Chiefs practice squad, per source. Reinforcements up front for KC's D.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 4, 2024

Veteran DL Isaiah Buggs is signing with the #Chiefs practice squad, per source. Reinforcements up front for KC's D.

Buggs, a sixth-round pick back in 2019, spent his first three seasons as a member of the Steelers. Playing in 29 games with Pittsburgh, the Alabama product recorded 31 tackles and a quarterback hit. He played the 2022 season and most of the 2023 campaign with the Lions, enjoying the best year of his career last season. Playing in all 17 regular-season games for Dan Campbell's group, Buggs logged career-best marks in tackles (46), quarterback hits (10), passes broken up (2) and forced fumbles (1). He also had a sack.

With players like C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Alim McNeill coming off the injured reserve list, Detroit needed some available spots on the roster. The club waived Buggs as a result, but Campbell admitted that moving on from the 27-year-old wasn't an easy decision.

“When those things happen, nothing about it is easy, but it was the best thing for us and for him," Campbell said. "So I wish him the best of luck.”

Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 335 pounds, Buggs will be an interior defensive lineman for Kansas City. Per Pro Football Focus, 997 of his snaps have been with him lined up in the B-gap before the snap and another 351 are A-gap reps. He joins a room that already has the likes of Chris Jones, Derrick Nnadi, Tershawn Wharton, Neil Farrell and more at the helm as traditional nose tackles or three-techs. At the least, this is solid supplemental depth for the final part of the year and could potentially parlay into a reserve/futures contract following the conclusion of the season.

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