A collective sigh could be heard from Chiefs Kingdom on Wednesday with the news that tight end Robert Tonyan would be returning to the team.
Per reporter Matt Derrick, Tonyan is coming back to the Chiefs via their practice squad, but that's a temporary measure. His ascendance to the active roster is expected the moment the Chiefs place wide receiver Rashee Rice on the exempt list.
Rice was suspended for six games on Wednesday as his official punishment from the NFL came down. That means that he will miss everything through a Week 7 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. However, it also allows K.C. to adjust the roster accordingly in his absence.
The Chiefs have brought back Big Bob into the fold, which is where he definitely belongs.
Tonyan was left off of the Chiefs active roster when cuts were due on Tuesday, a confounding move that only made sense in light of a bigger picture wherein general manager Brett Veach needed to temporarily release him in order to bring him back to the roster at a later date.
Given that Tonyan brings a wealth of experience to the Chiefs, it also allowed the front office to set him free knowing that he wouldn't be subject to waiver claims as teams whittled down their rosters. Tonyan could then wait for the Chiefs to shuffle players around before returning to the roster in a loaded tight end room..
The Chiefs now have Travis Kelce at the top of the depth chart followed by Noah Gray as one of the top tight end duos in the league. Tonyan was a veteran afterthought upon his signing in free agency back in March, but his preseason performance—he was the team's leading receiver in two games—proved he can be a reliable option for Patrick Mahomes.
The Chiefs also have former fourth-round pick Jared Wiley on the roster. Since his rookie year was halted by a season-ending injury, Wiley's ability to impact the offense has yet to be measured, making him a wild card for the 2025 roster.
Tonyan went without a single target last year in just five games for the Minnesota Vikings. He begins his eighth NFL season with his fourth team this September in K.C.