KC Chiefs release Jordan Ta’amu and two other players

The K.C. Chiefs roster is rounding into shape after the 2021 NFL Draft with the team clearing out some of the fringe competition at crowded positions on Monday. The team officially released three players as of Monday’s NFL transaction report, including developmental quarterback Jordan Ta’amu who joined the team last season as a former XFL product hoping to make the leap to the NFL.

Ta’amu was released on Monday along with two other players: tight end Sean Culkin, who recently asked for his paychecks to come via cryptocurrency, and offensive lineman Bryan Witzmann, who is a very familiar face after previous stints with the team.

Ta’amu has been vying for a long-term role as a developmental quarterback for the Chiefs for the last 12 months after first signing with the team last spring. The former Ole Miss product looked solid in a few games for the St. Louis Battlehawks in the XFL before the league folded, and the Chiefs rewarded him with a closer look during the preseason. Ta’amu was then shifted to the practice squad before being waived and then re-signed over time.

The Chiefs released three players on Monday.

In the wake of Shane Buechele’s addition, a rookie free agent quarterback out of SMU, and the presence of Anthony Gordon, Ta’amu became expendable and it now appears to be a two-horse race as the Chiefs try to unearth a hidden gem among two long shot arms to compete behind Patrick Mahomes and Chad Henne. Given that Henne is in his final season under contract with the Chiefs, and given his age, the winner of this contest would have a leading edge on a potential backup role going forward for the Chiefs.

Culkin’s release comes as the team added tight end Noah Gray via the draft in the fourth round just a week ago. Culkin’s presence is apparently one tight end too many given that there’s still plenty of competition on the roster behind Travis Kelce with Blake Bell, Nick Keizer, and Evan Baylis also around.

As for Witzmann, he is a good bet to return once again if the team suffers through an injury streak like last season. Witzmann is very familiar with the team after a two-season stint from 2016-17 and another appearance in 2020 on the roster. However, after the addition of so many options along the offensive front this offseason, it makes sense for general manager Brett Veach to make this call since there are still too many players vying for active roster spots along the line.