The Kansas City Chiefs have waived outside linebacker Josh Martin, with an injury designation attached due to a concussion, according to Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Martin was entering his third season as an undrafted free agent out of Columbia.
Martin’s injury combined with the release of Dezman Moses on Sunday leaves the Chiefs with only four outside linebackers on the roster, including Justin Houston, Tamba Hali, Dee Ford and Frank Zombo. Kansas City had to make a roster move to get to the 53-man limit after signing Jah Reid, and apparently this was the move.
Martin has contributed on special teams but has mostly rode the bench since coming to Kansas City in 2013. The 23-year-old has a total of 26 tackles and 0.5 sacks in two seasons.
This all means that there is a little less depth in the cupboard, and that Ford is going to be even more important. Ford looked good in the preseason before injuring his ribs, playing the run well and really getting some pressure on the quarterbacks. There is little question about Ford’s ability, it is simply a matter of putting it all together.
Of course, the Chiefs are more than set at the starting spots with Houston and Hali. Houston led the NFL with 22 sacks in 2014, only a half-sack shy of the NFL record set by New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan.