The Kansas City Chiefs brought in a familiar face for a visit on Tuesday.
According to the NFL’s official transaction report, the team brought linebacker Emmanuel Smith into the facility for a visit. Smith, of course, was previously a member of the practice squad in Kansas City, joining the team at the onset of the 2019 NFL season. He spent the entirety of the 2019 season on the practice squad through Super Bowl LIV, signing a reserve/future deal to return to the team in 2020.
During training camp ahead of the 2020 NFL season, Smith suffered a hamstring injury in practice. This ultimately led to Smith being waived with an injury designation, placed on injured reserve, and eventually released from injured reserve with an injury settlement.
So what has prompted the team to bring Smith in for a visit and potentially bring him back into the fold? Starting LB Anthony Hitchens injured his hand during the Week 5 game against the Las Vegas Raiders. He ended up finishing the game, but he had to sit out a few series with injuries at different junctures. Andy Reid didn’t have an update on Hitchens’ injury after the game or on Monday, so that’s something to keep an eye on.
Perhaps it merely signals that the front office is concerned about having quality depth available on the practice squad. The team recently elevated Darius Harris to the 53-man roster. They currently have no linebackers on the practice squad. At 6-4 and 240 pounds, Smith is fit to play MIKE and SAM positions for Kansas City.
It’s also notable that this is the only visit/workout for the team. On Tuesday, they placed FB Anthony Sherman on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. They’re not yet looking to bring in any replacements in the interim, while he’s away from the team.
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