Chiefs news: Daniel Kilgore signed, Emmanuel Smith released
By Matt Conner
The Chiefs have signed Daniel Kilgore and released Emmanuel Smith.
A few days after Terez Paylor first reported that Daniel Kilgore would sign with the Kansas City Chiefs, the offensive lineman has officially reached a deal with the team. In a corresponding move to create a spot on the roster, the Chiefs have released linebacker Emmanuel Smith.
Kilgore is a veteran lineman who has manned the center position for the Miami Dolphins for the last two years after holding the same position for the San Francisco 49ers for four seasons before that. Injuries have kept Kilgore from amassing a complete body of work in that span, which has certainly hurt his notoriety and overall value, but it’s notable that he continued to earn starting reps upon every return to the roster.
Kilgore joins the Chiefs at the age of 32 with 56 starts in 91 total games between San Francisco and Miami. He should immediate compete with Austin Reiter for the starting center role and, at the very least, will give the Chiefs some experience in the heart of the offensive line should they need it.
As for Emmanuel Smith, the former Vanderbilt linebacker has been with the Chiefs since last September when he was signed to the practice squad. He remained there for the rest of the season and stayed with the Chiefs through the entirety of this preseason. Smith first came to the league as an undrafted free agent with the Atlanta Falcons after going unselected in the 2018 NFL Draft. He also spent time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before landing with the Chiefs.