The Kansas City Chiefs decided to round out their practice squad and fill the one empty slot remaining late this week with the signing of former Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Siaki Ika.
Ika is a former third-round pick of the Browns from the 2023 NFL Draft who was drafted out of Baylor after being named third-team All-American following his junior season.
Despite being such a high draft investment and recent pick, Ika's stay in Cleveland was a surprisingly short-lived one. He lasted only a single season on the active roster in '23 and managed to hang onto a practice squad spot following training camp only to be released in October.
The Philadelphia Eagles decided to take a flyer on Ika following his departure from the Browns but that was also a shorter stint. Ika has remained a free agent since late November.
The only official snaps Ika has played in the National Football League came in four total games in 2023 in which he had 100 total snaps.
No one can doubt Ika's incredible stature at 6'3, 330 lbs. but there were plenty of questions about his technique and footwork as well as the one-sided nature of his skill set coming out of college. However, there's room for large run-stuffers on NFL rosters and the Chiefs are likely making a long-term play here that will turn into a futures deal once the 2024 season concludes.
While Ika is a long shot who no one should count on, it's a chance worth taking knowing that several guys are all hitting free agency while getting older at the same time—names like Derrick Nnadi, Mike Pennel, Turk Wharton, and Marlon Tuipulotu.