KC Chiefs: Antonio Callaway, Chad Williams among early roster cuts

With the NFL’s scheduled deadlines to cut the expanded 90-man offseason rosters down in training camp, every franchise will be forced to cut as many as five players by Tuesday’s limit of 85 total players. It’s the first of a couple scheduled steps to pare things down to the ultimate total of 53 entering the regular season.

The K.C. Chiefs made their first round of roster cuts in order to comply on Tuesday as they released wide receivers Antonio Callaway and Chad Williams along with tight end Evan Baylis and defensive back Manny Patterson.

Running back Elijah McGuire was placed on injured reserve, which brings the total roster tally to the required 85 spots, down five from the offseason allotment of 90.

The K.C. Chiefs made their first round of roster cuts on Tuesday.

Callaway is the most surprising of the lot, although he’d been injured early in camp with a bone bruise and had missed significant practice time. He also sat out the team’s first preseason game, a win over the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium last Saturday. Still, Callaway was one of the most “proven” players on the team with at least some decent production on his resume as recently as a couple seasons ago with the Cleveland Browns.

Williams profiled as a returner/receiver, but it’s clear the Chiefs feel like they have other options in house that they feel better about. Cornerback Mike Hughes and wide receivers Byron Pringle and Darrius Shepherd are two candidates here alongside Mecole Hardman.

Baylis was going to have a very tough time making his presence felt on a roster that begins with Travis Kelce and includes the hype of Noah Gray and Jody Fortson in camp. Blake Bell is also a clear fit as the team’s best blocking tight end, a veteran they re-signed this offseason after a year away with the Dallas Cowboys. Patterson was also on the outside looking in of a crowded secondary.

The Chiefs (and every other NFL franchise) will have to cut another five players in the next week in order to stay within the NFL’s limits of 80 players by August 24. From there, teams will cut another 27 players during the following week in order to get down to the 53-man active roster by August 31.