Kansas City Chiefs release tight end John Phillips after only 8 days
By Matt Conner
The Kansas City Chiefs didn’t need long to decide that they weren’t going to need to keep tight end John Phillips around with news they were releasing him on Tuesday.
On May 20, the Kansas City Chiefs announced the signing of veteran blocking tight end John Phillips to the roster. Eight days later, the front office and coaching staff have apparently seen all there is to see with news coming that they are releasing Phillips on Tuesday, per NFL reporter Adam Caplan.
The Chiefs originally brought in Phillips after releasing cornerback Dontae Johnson to fight for a spot at tight end, a place where the competition is wide open—and perhaps concerning to some fans. The lack of experience after Travis Kelce on the depth chart is surprising, at least, and Phillips represented a well-traveled veteran who could potentially fill a void, primarily as a pass blocker.
Clearly the Chiefs feel just fine about the players already on the roster to let Phillips go after such a short stay. Those prospects include David Wells, who spent all of last season on the practice squad, and Deon Yelder, who was protected on the active roster for some of last season as well. The Chiefs have also signed veteran Blake Bell earlier this spring.
Given his pro experience, Bell looks like a potential favorite for a spot behind Kelce, but it’s not as if his resume is glowing. Bell caught only 8 passes for 67 yards, so taking over for Demetrius Harris in any way will likely result in career highs for Bell. Another name to watch is prospect Jody Fortson, a rookie free agent from Valdosta State with the size to make the switch from wide receiver.
As for Phillips, he’ll now have plenty of time to hopefully catch on with another team before training camp begins. His experience and grades as a pass blocker should earn him another look.