Chiefs live tracker: KC announces all cuts from Tuesday to get to 53-man roster

Decision day is here for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Kansas City — like all other NFL teams — is required to get down to a 53-man initial roster by 3 p.m. Central today. That means general manager Brett Veach and his front office staff members, along with coach Andy Reid, will have to make any final judgment calls over the next few hours.

There also could be roster juggling as well. Last year, for instance, the Chiefs initially released veteran linebacker Elijah Lee, only to bring him back once they placed tight end Blake Bell on injured reserve (IR). Similar maneuvering could take place this season if the Chiefs potentially look to move an injured player like cornerback Nic Jones to the IR, which would keep him out the season’s first four weeks.

This much is certain: It won’t be an easy next few hours for many coaches, players and staff members. After Saturday’s final preseason game, Reid said that today looms as “the toughest day” mostly because players have worked so hard the last few months to earn roster spots. The Chiefs, of course, can’t keep everyone.

We’ll know soon exactly how the Chiefs feel about their bubble players — and also which ones they ultimately decided to keep.

Check back throughout the day for live updates as KC sets its roster for the 2023 season.

Chiefs announce all cuts to set 53-man roster, 4:07 p.m. update

The Kansas City Chiefs sent out a release listing all their cuts from Tuesday, which included last year’s fifth-round pick offensive lineman Darian Kinnard.

Other notable cuts included tight end Matt Bushman, defensive back Dicaprio Bootle and defensive end Joshua Kaindoh, who was a fourth-round pick for the Chiefs in 2021.

KC also placed holdout defensive lineman Chris Jones on the “reserve/did not report” list.

Chiefs cut TE Kendall Blanton, 3:17 p.m. update

The Chiefs have cut Blue Springs South product Kendall Blanton, The Star’s Sam McDowell reports.

Blanton, who played collegiately at Missouri, spent time last season on KC’s practice squad.

Chiefs cut RB La’Mical Perine, 3:13 p.m. update

The Chiefs have cut running back La’Mical Perine, The Star’s Sam McDowell reports.

Perine made a late run at the roster with strong performances in the Chiefs’ last two games of the preseason. The former 2020 New York Jets fourth-round pick first signed with the Chiefs practice squad late last season.

Chiefs keep undrafted rookie LB Cam Jones, waive CB Kahlef Hailassie, 3:08 p.m. update

The Kansas City Chiefs kept undrafted rookie linebacker Cam Jones on the 53-man roster, The Star’s Sam McDowell reports.

Jones, out of Indiana, will likely benefit the team’s special teams most to start the season.

The Chiefs also waived undrafted rookie cornerback Kahlef Hailassie, per McDowell. The Western Kentucky product had an interception in the Chiefs’ first preseason game against the New Orleans Saints.

Chiefs cut KU defensive lineman Daniel Wise, 3 p.m. update

Former Kansas Jayhawks defensive lineman Daniel Wise has been cut, The Star’s Sam McDowell reports.

Wise had rotated in with the Chiefs’ first-string defensive line during camp with Chris Jones holding out. He played the previous two seasons with Washington.

Chiefs waive early camp standout RB Deneric Prince, 2:56 p.m. update

The Chiefs have waived undrafted rookie running back Deneric Prince, Pro Football Network’s Adam Caplan is reporting.

Prince, a Tulsa product, was one of the summer camp standouts while repeatedly showing excellent hands out of the backfield. His stock slipped in recent weeks, however, which included him being replaced at kickoff returner by Richie James in the second preseason against Arizona.

Chiefs release QBs Shane Buechele, Chris Oladokun, 2:44 p.m. update

Shane Buechele, who had been running with the Chiefs’ second team at quarterback the last two weeks, has been released, NFL insider Aaron Wilson is reporting.

Buechele, who is in his third season with KC, started Saturday’s final preseason game but struggled some then, completing 8 of 17 passes for 89 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. One of those picks first deflected off the hands of receiver Cornell Powell.

Wilson also reported the Chiefs had released QB Chris Oladokun, who had been the team’s fourth-string signal-caller. He joined the Chiefs’ practice squad in August last season.

Chiefs cut cornerback Ekow Boye-Doe, will keep BJ Thompson, 2:05 p.m. update

The Chiefs will keep 2023 fifth-round pick defensive end BJ Thompson on their initial 53-man roster, The Star’s Sam McDowell reports.

In addition, Kansas State cornerback Ekow Boye-Doe has waived, McDowell reported.

Boye-Doe, who impressed coaches after making the Chiefs’ initial 91-man training camp roster as an undrafted rookie free agent this summer, ran with the 2s throughout camp and could be a practice-squad candidate should he clear waivers.

Chiefs cut cornerback Reese Taylor, 1:16 p.m. update

The Chiefs cut cornerback Reese Taylor, The Star’s Sam McDowell reports.

Taylor, who worked some in training camp with the 2s, could be a practice squad candidate.

Deon Bush, Danny Shelton released, 12:58 p.m. update

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Chiefs have released safety Deon Bush and defensive tackle Danny Shelton.

Bush was primarily a special teams player for the Chiefs last season. He played 7% of the team’s defensive snaps, and 73% of the special teams snaps.

Shelton appeared in one game for the Chiefs last season after spending his first seven years with the Browns, Patriots, Lions and Giants.

Chiefs add defensive tackle from Raiders, 12:55 p.m. update

The Chiefs stayed in the AFC West to pick up a defensive tackle, acquiring Neil Farrell Jr. from the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick.

Farrell was a fourth-round pick from LSU in 2022. Last season, he recorded 12 tackles, a tackle for loss and two quarterback hits in nine games.

Chiefs trade Ihmir Smith-Marsette to Carolina Panthers, 6:36 a.m. update

The Chiefs have traded receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette to the Carolina Panthers, The Star has confirmed. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport was the first to report the deal.

As part of the exchange, the Chiefs and Panthers will swap conditional 2025 seventh-round picks.

Smith-Marsette was one of the standouts of the Chiefs preseason, adding four catches for 101 yards in the preseason finale against Cleveland. The Chiefs, however, were going to struggle to keep him thanks to a crowded receiver room.

In the locker room after Saturday’s game, Smith-Marsette — he turns 24 today — hoped to get a chance with the Chiefs or elsewhere.

“I feel like I made it hard for them (decision-wise),” Smith-Marsette said then. “And then, the other 31 teams out there, they get to see what I did today and last week. So I definitely feel like I proved myself just a little bit.”

The Star’s Sam McDowell contributed to this report.