Kansas City Chiefs could see KeiVarae Russell play for Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals have called up a familiar face from the practice squad in KeiVarae Russell just in time for the Chiefs game on Sunday.

The Cincinnati Bengals have made a small yet interesting move in the days leading up to their Sunday night showdown in primetime against the Kansas City Chiefs. Cornerback KeiVarae Russell has been signed to the active roster from the team’s practice squad just in time to potentially face the team that drafted him.

Russell originally entered the NFL as a draft choice of John Dorsey, the former general manager for the Chiefs largely responsible for drafting or signing most of a roster that currently leads the entire AFC. Russell was Dorsey’s third round choice in 2016, but he never played a single down for the Chiefs. Rather, in one of the weirdest moves of Dorsey’s five-year tenure with the Chiefs, Russell was let go before the regular season ever began of his first season.

Russell was let go by the Chiefs on September 14, 2016 and the Cincinnati Bengals claimed him just a day later, winning the sweepstakes for the former Notre Dame cornerback. Russell has spent the last two years on the team’s active roster and has played in 13 total games for the Bengals in that time. However he failed to make the active roster this year and was instead placed on Cincy’s practice squad in September. Now just ahead of the Chiefs game, Russell has signed in order to potentially play against his former team.

Russell has largely earned any NFL playing time on special teams with the Bengals. He has 8 total tackles and 1 pass defended and 1 interception in his career.