Chiefs get roster down to 53 player limit

(ap) The Kansas City Chiefs are content to defend their Super Bowl title largely with the team that won it.

After signing a handful of veteran free agents the Chiefs waived the majority of them Saturday as they trimmed down to 53 players for the start of the regular season. Among the notable names were running back DeAndre Washington, who was signed from Oakland, and former Miami safety Adrian Colbert.

The Chiefs waived quarterbacks Matt Moore and Jordan Ta’amu, which means they are content having just Chad Henne backing up Mahomes for Week 1. Running back Elijah McGuire lost out on a backup job to Darrel Williams, another member of the Super Bowl team, while wide receivers Jody Fortson, Maurice Ffrench, Gehrig Dieter, Justice Shelton-Mosley and Kalija Lipscomb were cut loose in favor of keeping special teams ace Marcus Kemp.

The biggest name let go on defense was Breeland Speaks, the Chiefs’ second-round pick in 2018, who missed last season to an injury.

Another offensive lineman, Martinas Rankin, will start the season on the PUP list as he recovers from knee surgery.
Bashaud Breeland and Mike Pennel are on the reserve suspended list.

The Chiefs kick-off the season Thursday night when they host Houston.

WAIVED/RELEASED

Player | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | College | Hometown
Jackson Barton | T | 6-7 | 302 | Utah | Salt Lake City, Utah
Rodney Clemons | DB | 6-0 | 205 | SMU | Katy, Texas
Omari Cobb | LB | 6-4 | 223 | Marshall | Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Adrian Colbert | S | 6-2 | 205 | Miami | Mineral Wells, Texas
Gehrig Dieter | WR | 6-3 | 207 | Alabama | South Bend, Ind.
Maurice Ffrench | WR | 5-11 | 200 | Pittsburgh | New Brunswick, N.J.
Jody Fortson | WR | 6-6 | 230 | Valdosta State | Buffalo, N.Y.
Darius Harris | LB | 6-2 | 238 | Middle Tenn. State | Horn Lake, Miss.
Daniel Helm | TE | 6-4 | 255 | Duke | Chatham, Ill.
Lavert Hill | DB | 5-11 | 182 | Michigan | Detroit, Mich.
Braxton Hoyett | DT | 6-2 | 302 | Mississippi State | Pelham, Ala.
Ryan Hunter | G | 6-3 | 316 | Bowling Green | North Bay, Ontario
Chris Lammons | CB | 5-10 | 190 | South Carolina | Lauderhill, Fla.
Devaroe Lawrence | DT | 6-2 | 295 | Auburn | Greenville, S.C.
Kalija Lipscomb | WR | 6-1 | 201 | Vanderbilt | New Orleans, La.
Elijah McGuire | RB | 5-10 | 214 | Louisiana-Lafayette | Houma, La.
Matt Moore | QB | 6-3 | 219 | Oregon State | Van Nuys, Calif.
Greg Senat | T | 6-6 | 305 | Wagner | Elmont, N.Y.
Justice Shelton-Mosley | WR | 5-10 | 196 | Vanderbilt | Sacramento, Calif.
Breeland Speaks | DE | 6-3 | 285 | Mississippi | Jackson, Miss.
Jordan Ta’amu | QB | 6-3 | 221 | Mississippi | Pearl City, Hawaii
Tim Ward | DE | 6-6 | 255 | Old Dominion | High Point, N.C.
DeAndré Washington | RB | 5-8 | 210 | Texas Tech | Missouri City, Texas
Darryl Williams | OL | 6-3 | 310 | Mississippi State | Bessemer, Ala.

RESERVE/SUSPENDED
Bashaud Breeland | CB | 5-11 | 195 | Clemson | Allendale, S.C.
Mike Pennel | DT | 6-4 | 330 | Colo. State-Pueblo | Aurora, Colo.

PLACED ON RESERVE/PUP
Martinas Rankin | T | 6-5 | 311 | Mississippi State | Mendenhall, Miss.