Marcus Harris put on an impressive show this preseason. After bouncing between teams to start his NFL career, Harris found his footing when leaning into what Steve Spagnuolo asks of his defense, and the end result was an unexpectedly tough decision for the Kansas City Chiefs. In the end, they couldn't leave him off the 53-man roster.
Unfortunately for Harris, that stint lasted less than 24 hours, as the Chiefs decided to ultimately place Harris on waivers the following day to create room to sign two new waiver claims. After passing through the NFL's waiver wire himself, however, Harris is now back in the fold on the Chiefs' practice squad.
For those who missed the team's minor transactions over the last couple of days, the Chiefs held the No. 9 overall spot in the waiver wire order—a position they will hold until Week 4, when the order changes to reflect this year's standings instead of last season's abysmal 6-11 finish. The team utilized that rare position to grab two defensive linemen: Bryson Eason, formerly of the San Francisco 49ers, and Jack Pyburn, formerly of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
To make room for Pyburn and Eason, the Chiefs released Harris and cornerback Kevin Knowles. The Bucs claimed Knowles on Tuesday but Harris cleared waivers. On Wednesday, the Chiefs signed him back to the practice squad and released fellow defensive tackle Cole Brevard to make room for him.
Marcus Harris deserves a roster spot and he's back on the edge of claiming one at the first possible chance.
Harris's return to the team, even on the taxi squad, feels like a real achievement with how good he looked through the team's preseason slate. With Omarr Norman-Lott sitting for the entirety of training camp and three scheduled exhibitions, Harris took full advantage of the opening. The void behind Chris Jones, Khyiris Tonga, and rookie Peter Woods was waiting for someone to step into it and Harris muscled his way into the mix with a noticeably strong effort play after play.
Harris entered the NFL with the Houston Texans as a seventh-round pick in 2024, but he only lasted two months on the practice squad before being released. The New England Patriots picked him up and kept him around through the 2025 draft before cutting him. The Buffalo Bills gave him a summer audition, but he was released before active roster cuts were due. The Texans brought him back for one week last December before the Chiefs came calling.
Eason took over Harris's spot on the roster at defensive tackle, but he's likely on a fairly short leash knowing Harris is waiting in the wings. The Chiefs were enamored enough with Eason to seize the opportunity when the Niners cut him, but they also need someone to spell Tonga when needed on early downs, and Harris looked ready for the role.
Harris's history of pinballing between teams made it clear that he would likely go unclaimed on waivers. But he's found a home, for now, on the Chiefs and the chance that was short-lived earlier this week will likely come around again if he sticks around.
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