Chiefs re-sign WR Chad Williams to practice squad

The Grambling State product returns to the Chiefs’ practice squad.

For the second time this season, the Kansas City Chiefs have signed WR Chad Williams to the practice squad.

According to the NFL’s official transaction report, the Chiefs re-signed Williams to the practice squad on Friday. Williams was in Kansas City, along with WR Tajae Sharpe, on Thursday for a visit. The former third-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals had first joined the practice squad in Kansas City back in late September. He was released in November to make room for CB DeAndre Baker.

The Chiefs also plan to sign Sharpe to the practice squad once he clears the league’s COVID-19 protocols. That will bring the total number of receivers on the practice squad up to five including Jody Fortson, Maurice Ffrench and Gehrig Dieter.

Williams, 26, played with the Cardinals for two seasons, recording 20 catches for 202 yards. In 2019, he was picked up by the Indianapolis Colts, spending time on their practice squad before being elevated to the 53-man roster late in the year.

After the release of WR Marcus Kemp, it’s smart for the team to add another player that knows the system. Williams is someone who could play gunner on special teams for Kansas City, just as Kemp did. Since Williams hadn’t been elevated from the practice squad yet this season, the Chiefs will still have the ability to elevate him twice in the coming weeks and during the playoffs. That could prove to be valuable with players like Gehrig Dieter already having exhausted their practice squad elevations for the season.

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Chiefs release WR Chad Williams to make room for CB DeAndre Baker on practice squad

The DeAndre Baker signing is now official for the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Kansas City Chiefs have made a pair of practice squad transactions on Thursday.

Following the news that the team was expected to sign former New York Giants CB DeAndre Baker to the practice squad, the team has followed through and signed him. In a corresponding move, the team released WR Chad Williams from the practice squad according to the NFL’s official transaction report.

Williams signed to the practice in late September and has been with the team ever since. The HBCU product out of Grambling was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He played with the Cardinals for two seasons and also spent some time on the Colts’ practice squad. Williams was among the players who took a pre-draft visit to Kansas City. Ultimately his presence on the practice squad in 2020 was a luxury with four other receivers already rostered in Gehrig Dieter, Marcus Kemp, Jody Fortson and Maurice Ffrench.

As for Baker, he lands with the Chiefs after a tumultuous offseason where he was charged with and subsequently cleared on four counts of armed robbery. The former first-round draft pick from the University of Georgia is expected to get up to speed on the scheme and playbook before his eventual elevation to the 53-man roster.

At the end of the day, if Baker can land on his feet, keep his nose clean and develop as a football player, we could be looking back at this move as an important move for the future of this football team. Brett Veach has already nailed it by taking chances on a number of former first-round draft picks. This could be the next one to pan out in Kansas City.

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Chiefs to sign WR Chad Williams to practice squad

The former third-round draft pick replaces WR Kalija Lipscomb on the practice squad.

The Kansas City Chiefs intend to sign WR Chad Williams to the practice squad as soon as he’s cleared his COVID-19 screening. He’s already appeared on the teams’ official roster for the practice squad ahead of any official transaction.

Williams was in Kansas City for a tryout over the weekend. Williams was waived from the Indianapolis Colts injured reserve list with an injury settlement just ahead of the open of the 2020 NFL season. The Colts, of course, have former Chiefs front-office executive Chris Ballard as their general manager. There’s obviously a little overlap in player interest when it comes to these two teams.

The 6-1 and 207-pound receiver was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The HBCU product out of Grambling State had a pre-draft visit to Kansas City that year after catching 90 passes for 1,337 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior. He caught just 20 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown with the Cardinals over the course of his two seasons with the team.

The Chiefs have an open practice squad spot after releasing former Vanderbilt WR Kalija Lipscomb, who was a top undrafted free agent signing following the 2020 NFL Draft.

Fans would probably have preferred to see this practice squad spot go to a different position with three receivers already on the practice squad (Gehrig Dieter, Jody Fortson and Maurice Ffrench). Remember, the Chiefs only have Mecole Hardman and Tyreek Hill under contract in 2021. They’ll need to find some cheap options with a lot of upside to contribute in a year with a lower salary cap number.

Look for the transaction to add Williams to the practice squad to come on the NFL’s official transaction report as early as this today.

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Chiefs hosted a wide receiver for a tryout on Saturday

A former third-round draft pick by the Cardinals was in Kansas City for a workout.

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The Kansas City Chiefs had a former third-round draft pick in for a tryout on Saturday.

According to the NFL’s official transaction report, the Chiefs had former Arizona Cardinals draft pick, Chad Williams, in for a tryout. Selected at No. 98 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft, Williams spent two seasons with the Cardinals, appearing in 16 games and starting in eight. The Grambling State product caught 20 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown during his time in Arizona.

Williams was released ahead of the 2019 season after spending the offseason working under new Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury. He was picked up by the Indianapolis Colts and spent some time on their practice squad in 2019 before being promoted to the 53-man roster in December. Colts GM Chris Ballard waived Williams with an injury designation in late August and he received an injury settlement before the season opener, making him a free agent.

The 6-1 and 207-pound receiver ran a 4.43 40-yard dash at his pro day and recorded 90 catches for 1,337 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior at Grambling. He was one of just four HBCU players taken in the 2017 NFL Draft. Williams actually had a pre-draft visit to Kansas City ahead of the draft.

The Chiefs are always looking for ways to improve their roster, whether it’s the 53-man roster or the practice squad. Kansas City did have a bit of a scare with WR Sammy Watkins, who took a helmet-to-helmet hit in the Los Angeles Chargers game in Week 2. While he seems to have escaped serious injury and should be available for Week 3, they’re probably looking to add some names to their call list.

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Colts activate TE Andrew Vollert from Commissioner’s Exempt List

Colts make a roster move.

The Indianapolis Colts activated tight end Andrew Vollert from the Commissioner’s Exempt List and waived-injured wide receiver Chad Williams, the team announced Monday.

Vollert was signed “under a roster exemption, labeled commissioner’s permission,” per the Indianapolis Star, so he wasn’t on the active roster just yet. However, the Colts made it official on Monday by moving him to the active roster.

The Colts are a bit thin at tight end right now. Jack Doyle is dealing with a neck injury while Xavier Grimble and Ian Bunting have both missed practice the last few days. They did activate Mo Alie-Cox from the PUP list, which is a good sign. And Trey Burton has recently come to life in the passing game.

Williams had some flashes throughout the first week of padded practices but now heads to waivers. If he clears waivers, he will revert back to the injured reserve list for the Colts.

3 Colts who should see more playing time in final two games

Get these players some more game action.

Having already been knocked out of the playoff race, the Indianapolis Colts have two games remaining before the offseason begins. While they will be trying to win those games, this is also a crucial time for some depth players to show what kind of impact they can make.

There is nothing like getting live reps in a game. No training can ever truly replicate that. So while the starters won’t be benched for the final two games, the Colts must also find a way to get some of their younger depth pieces more playing time so the front office and coaching staff has a better idea going into the offseason.

Here are three Colts who should see more playing time in the final two games:

WR Chad Williams — Snaps played: 6 (0.6%)

A recent call-up from the practice squad, Williams isn’t a player that needs more game-action because he’s lighting it up. He’s a depth piece, and the Colts need to know what they have in the former third-round pick entering the offseason.

Given the massive need at the wide receiver position the Colts face this season, they have to get a better idea of what Williams can do against NFL defenses. He shouldn’t be expected to turn into a WR1 but if he can prove to be another solid depth piece like a Marcus Johnson, that could change how the Colts go about offseason.

Zach Pascal has emerged in a breakout year, Johnson has been solid and we already know what Dontrelle Inman brings to the table. It’s time to see if Williams is actually a future piece of the team.

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Colts make trio of moves at WR position

Colts add some depth at wide receiver.

The Indianapolis Colts elevated wide receiver Chad Williams from the practice squad to the active roster and signed wide receiver Malik Henry to the practice squad. They also officially placed Chester Rogers on the injured reserve list, the team announced Tuesday.

It was expected that the Colts would be making a move at the wide receiver position. With Devin Funchess out for the remainder of the season and now Rogers lost for the rest of the campaign, the Colts are extremely thin at wide receiver.

Williams was a third-round pick with the Arizona Cardinals in the 2017 NFL draft. He played in 16 games while recording 20 catches for 202 yards and one touchdown. He signed with the Colts practice squad on Sept. 2, 2019.

The Colts filled the vacant practice squad spot with the aforementioned Henry, who was originally an undrafted free agent with the San Francisco 49ers out of West Georgia.

Rogers’ season with the Colts is finished after he suffered a knee fracture in the Week 13 loss against the Tennessee Titans. He finishes his fourth season on the injured reserve list.