The Kansas City Chiefs have placed defensive back Jalin Burrell on waivers with a non-football injury designation.
The Kansas City Chiefs ended up losing a bit of their cornerback depth on Wednesday with the announcement on the NFL’s transaction wire that the team had placed Jalin Burrell on waivers. The cornerback was given the non-football illness designation, and now teams around the league will be given the chance to claim him.
Burrell joined the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent shortly after the 2019 NFL Draft was concluded. At 6’0, 195 lbs., Burrell was a two-year starter at New Mexico who also excelled on special teams. He even blocked and returned a field goal for a touchdown during his junior season. In two years in the secondary, Burrell had 16 passes defended and 1 interception with 105 total tackles. He also returned a couple punts during his senior season and it’s possible he could hone those skills at the pro level if a team needed another return option.
The Chiefs did little to help their cornerback needs during the offseason, with a sole signing of Bashaud Breeland to a one-year deal and the selection of Rashad Fenton in the sixth round of the draft out of South Carolina. The Chiefs already had needs at the position before seeing Orlando Scandrick hit free agency and Steven Nelson leave to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Burrell and other such roster hopefuls had a better chance of legitimate playing time or opportunity than with many other teams.
Burrell has the chance to rejoin the Chiefs if he goes unclaimed on waivers, in which case he will likely sit out the year with injury and give the Chiefs a stashed developmental player for 2020.