Chiefs sign QB Jordan Ta’amu to practice squad, cut Tyler Clark

Jordan Ta’amu is back with the Kansas City Chiefs after his practice squad contract with the Detroit Lions expired.

The Kansas City Chiefs have brought back a familiar face at the quarterback position on their practice squad.

According to the NFL’s official transaction report, the Chiefs have signed QB Jordan Ta’amu to the practice squad. Ta’amu was previously a member of the Chiefs’ practice squad this season. They released him back in late October and he signed with the Detroit Lions practice squad in December. His contract with the Lions expired on Monday morning, making him free to sign with any team. Instead of signing a reserve/future deal elsewhere, he chose to come back to Kansas City, where he spent the 2020 offseason.

Ta’amu was a standout player in the XFL before joining the Chiefs, recording the top completion percentage in the league at 72% and the third-most passing yards with 1,050, tossing five touchdown in the process. He spent the offseason with the Chiefs and was signed to the practice squad in Kansas City shortly after 53-man roster cuts. One of his teammates in the quarterback room is happy to have him back.

One reason that the Chiefs may have opted to bring Ta’amu back is because of the role he played on the scout team earlier in the season. Ahead of Week 3, Ta’amu played Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson for the scout team offense. With Jackson still in the playoffs, it’s possible that the Chiefs feel he has the better skill set to mimic players like Jackson or even Cleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield on the scout team.

In order to make room for Ta’amu, Kansas City cut DT Tyler Clark who they had recently signed to the practice squad. They also placed CB DeAndre Baker on the practice squad injured list, effectively ending his season after he broke his femur in Week 17. Their final practice squad move was to make the signing of special teams ace and WR Marcus Kemp official.

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