Breeland Speaks remains a free agent even after the 2020 season has started.
Breeland Speaks is looking for a safe place to land.
As of now, Speaks is still experiencing the long fall from being a former second-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs to his current position as a free agent. Just three years ago, he was the first ever selection in an NFL Draft for a brand new general manager. Now he can’t even find a spot on a team’s practice squad.
How did this happen?
Even a month ago, it wouldn’t have surprised anyone in Chiefs Kingdom to know that Speaks was on the team’s roster bubble. The offseason had brought in a ton of competition at defensive end, especially for a roster that was already loaded at the position. Frank Clark is the obvious cornerstone of the defense, a pass rushing anchor locked in for years to come. From there, however, the Chiefs already had plenty of talent.
Alex Okafor was returning as the veteran starter opposite Clark who was anxious to put an injury-plagued year behind him. Tanoh Kpassagnon was the former second round pick looking to put together a breakout campaign in a contract season. Demone Harris was a nice late-season addition who impressed coaches down the stretch. Tim Ward and Devaroe Lawrence also lingered as developmental prospects.
From there, general manager Brett Veach also added plenty of other candidates. He seized the chance to examine Taco Charlton up close by claiming the former first round pick (and former Michigan teammate of Clark). He drafted Michael Danna in the fifth round. He also signed Missouri S&T pass rusher Tershawn Wharton as a flyer with intriguing potential.
Meanwhile, Speaks was doing his best to return from a season-ending injury suffered last preseason. During the team’s second game in August, Speaks went down with a meniscus injury that got him placed on injured reserve. This came after he’d also reported to that same camp out of shape in the first place. It turned out to be too deep of a hole to climb out of.
When active rosters were due, Speaks name was nowhere to be found on the list. While a longshot like Wharton had earned a chance to stick on the roster, Speaks had been left off. It was a shock, even to those who knew he’d been on the bubble. After all, he was a second-round investment with only one season of NFL experience under his belt.
Certainly it was too early to completely sever ties with the player, right? Apparently not.
What was even more surprising was that Speaks never found a home with the Chiefs on the team’s practice squad. Note that the NFL even increased the number of spots to 16 this season, but the Chiefs filled every one of them without giving a single slot to Speaks. Ward was given a slot as was defensive tackle Braxton Hoyett. Speaks, however, was left a free agent.
Most recently Speaks had a visit and workout with the Seattle Seahawks but even that came and went without a contract offer—at least to this point. Speaks remains available for someone—anyone—to call his name. The former Ole Miss pass rusher had once been so prized that Veach had traded up for him in the draft. Now he’s waiting for someone to even offer him a practice squad slot.
While Speaks was definitely on the edge of making a roster as deep as the Chiefs, it’s downright shocking that he’s unable to find employment of any kind with any team—even those with perceived needs along the line. They say you can never have enough pass rushers, so why is no team willing to take a chance on Breeland Speaks?
Perhaps a team will step forth, even soon, and extend a hand to Speaks and give him a clean slate. Until then, we can only wonder just how far this fall will go.