Overview
- Kansas City confirmed this week that it signed 29-year-old Thomas Odukoya to the practice squad, a signing first reported after a team workout and posted on the Chiefs’ official transactions page.
- Odukoya entered the league through the International Player Pathway in 2022, spent time on Titans and Patriots practice squads, and has only a handful of regular-season snaps with no recorded offensive statistics.
- The Chiefs used the IPP exemption so Odukoya does not occupy a standard practice-squad spot, with outlets reporting the exemption allows an extra 17th player while some reports say it yields an 18th slot.
- As part of late-summer roster trimming, Kansas City also reached injury settlements to waive QB Chris Oladokun, G C.J. Hanson and RB EJ Smith, freeing roster space and allowing those players to sign elsewhere after the settlement periods.
- The signing reflects the NFL’s path for international prospects and gives the Chiefs a low-cost developmental option behind Kelce as they manage aging depth and prepare for the season opener.