Green Bay Packers claim cornerback Tremon Smith from Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs have lost cornerback Tremon Smith to the Green Bay Packers, who claimed him over the weekend after his release from K.C.

The Kansas City Chiefs released Tremon Smith over the weekend in a late Week 2 roster move in order to get wide receiver Byron Pringle upon the active roster. The team was reportedly hoping that Smith would slip through waivers so that they could add the cornerback to the practice squad once the new week began. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, the Green Bay Packers decided to get in the way.

The Packers won the waiver claim on Tremon Smith on Monday, just minutes after the 4:00 p.m. E.T. deadline came and went. Over the weekend, teams have until Monday afternoon to claim released players, and the Packers apparently liked what they saw in Smith’s ability to help on special teams and potentially also aid the secondary.

Trevor Davis, a fifth round draft pick in 2016 for the Packers, is currently serving as the primary returner on both punts and kickoffs (although the Packers have yet to officially return a kick in 2019 through two games, so that’s only on paper). Smith might be able to snag one of those spots away from Davis given his experience and expertise.

As for the Chiefs, Smith was a man without a position. It’s clear that Brett Veach liked what he saw in Smith enough to grab him and even keep him on the active roster while other difficult releases were made. However, Smith was not an asset at cornerback and so-called efforts to reinvent him on the offensive side never took root either. The fact that the Chiefs had so many other return options, from Tyreek Hill to Mecole Hardman, made Smith expendable.

Smith, who is now 23-years-old, was a third-team FCS All-America selection at Central Arkansas before entering the draft.