The Kansas City Chiefs are set to sign one of the CFL’s breakout stars from the 2021 season to a reserve/future contract.
The Chiefs worked out Saskatchewan Roughriders DL Jonathan Woodard last Friday, along with three other CFL players. On Monday, the Riders released Woodard from his contract so he could pursue NFL opportunities. We now know what that NFL opportunity will be for the 28-year-old defensive lineman.
According to the NFL’s personnel notice for Monday, the Chiefs have signed Woodard to a reserve/future contract.
Go get 'em, @jvw_3.
We have released 🇺🇸 DL, Jonathan Woodard to pursue NFL opportunities.
— Saskatchewan Roughriders (@sskroughriders) February 7, 2022
According to the NFL’s personnel notice for Monday, the Chiefs have signed Woodard to a reserve/future contract.
Woodard was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the seventh round of the 2016 NFL draft out of the University of Central Arkansas. He’s had stops in Atlanta, Miami and Buffalo, but most recently he was a breakout star with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He appeared in all 14 games with the Riders in 2021, recording 21 total tackles, 10 sacks (second-most in the CFL) and two forced fumbles. Back in 2018, Woodard saw his only NFL regular-season action with the Dolphins. He appeared in 6 games, recording 10 total tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack.
Brett Veach has said that Kansas City will be making the defensive line a big focus this offseason and that means improving depth at all levels. Woodard’s CFL breakout wasn’t a fluke and he’ll have a chance to compete for a depth role with the Chiefs this offseason.
Woodard wasn’t the only former CFL player the Chiefs signed to a reserve/future deal on Monday. Former Ottawa Redblacks CB Brandin Dandridge also signed a reserve/future deal. We spoke to Dandridge this morning about coming back to Kansas City to play for his hometown team.
The team also brought back former practice squad TE Nakia Griffin-Stewart on a reserve/future contract.