Kansas City Chiefs sign tight end John Phillips, release defensive back Dontae Johnson
By Matt Conner
The Kansas City Chiefs have added a brand new tight end to the mix of competitors with the word they’ve signed John Phillips.
According to NFL reporter Field Yates, the Kansas City Chiefs have increased the competition at tight end with the signing of veteran John Phillips. The team released defensive back Dontae Johnson to make room for the new signee.
Phillips is a well-traveled veteran who has played for several NFL teams and joins the Chiefs with 120 games of experience in the regular season alone. He was a sixth round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft after a nice career at the University of Virginia for the Dallas Cowboys. Unlike most sixth round selections, Phillips has enjoyed longevity at the highest level for the last 10 years.
Phillips played for the Arizona Cardinals last season and played in 8 games while starting 4 of them. He only had 3 catches for 38 yards, so no one at Arrowhead is viewing him as a replacement for Demetrius Harris as another pass catcher at the position. Phillips has never been a regular outlet for anyone in terms of receptions, with a career high of 15 that came back in 2010. However, he’s always graded well as a pass blocker, including a rating of “above average” last year by Pro Football Focus.
Phillips now enters a depth chart that features Travis Kelce and little else in terms of reliability. While the Chiefs are set at starter, Blake Bell, Deon Yelder, and David Wells are also competing for the spots after him on the depth chart.
Next. The Chiefs should have much better coverage in 2019. dark
Johnson, the player released to make room for Phillips, was a veteran cornerback who was unlikely to make the final roster even at a position so thin for the Chiefs. The former 49ers starter drew very poor marks when on the field and the Chiefs have better prospects on the roster.