Most NFL rosters are bound to feature a former member of the Kansas City Chiefs, given the number of players who occupy a roster spot at one point or another. Offseason rosters make it that much easier by allowing 90 players. A few of those familiar faces were seen on the negative side of the NFL’s transaction wire this week, facing roster cuts with new teams that bring their professional futures into question.
Specifically, three former Chiefs were let go by their new(er) teams, making them available on the open market once again.
Cards cut former Chiefs cornerback
The Arizona Cardinals decided to cut ties with former K.C. cornerback Ekow Boye-Doe on Tuesday, which likely means that rookie Will Johnson could be ready to return to the field from injury. The Cards signed him in January to a futures deal, and given that he made it this far, he’s likely to find further opportunities in the NFL—perhaps even on Arizona’s practice squad.
Boye-Doe attended Kansas State and signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2023. He landed on the practice squad, but was promoted by season’s end. He earned playing time in six regular-season games and another playoff appearance during the team’s championship run.
Interestingly enough, the Cardinals also hosted running back tryouts following an injury to Trey Benson, which brought in another familiar face in former Chiefs running back Michael Wiley (who was on this year’s preseason roster for a short stint).
Patriots release former Chiefs defensive lineman
Fabien Lovett Sr. first landed in the NFL as a respected rookie free agent in 2024, a prospect who earned K.C. a lot of praise for the savvy signing. Lovett’s potential paired with Kansas City’s need for depth inside the defensive front made it seem like a solid marriage.
However, Lovett would never make it onto the active roster in Kansas City. He spent the entirety of his rookie campaign on the team’s practice squad and was waived before active roster cuts this summer. The New England Patriots added him to their practice squad to start the season, but on Tuesday, they cut ties with Lovett to make room for more o-line help.
Former Chiefs linebacker let go by Jets
Speaking of undrafted free agents, linebacker Ben Niemann is one of the more accomplished players in that regard in recent Chiefs history. A productive linebacker with the Iowa Hawkeyes, Niemann earned a deal with Kansas City following the 2018 NFL Draft and would go on to play four years for the Chiefs.
Niemann would go on to start 12 games for the Chiefs while appearing in 62, racking up 167 tackles, 5 fumble recoveries, and 2 sacks in that time. He went on to start 9 games in 2021 for the Arizona Cardinals, and spent subsequent seasons in Denver and Detroit.
The Jets are the latest team to give Niemann a home, and it’s sad to see him lose out on the team’s practice squad, but his lengthy tenure in the NFL is worth celebrating. With 103 career games played in the league, Niemann has been far more productive than anyone could have predicted coming into the league.
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