Most significant move: The Kansas City Chiefs are going with an undrafted rookie kicker, Cairo Santos, instead of veteran Ryan Succop. The competition through training camp and the preseason was close. The difference may have been money. Succop was due $2 million from the Chiefs this year. Santos will make $422,000. Santos is only 5-foot-8, 160 pounds, but the ball jumps off his foot. The Chiefs expressed no fear throughout training camp about going with a rookie as their kicker, lending an air the job was Santos’ to lose. He never did anything to indicate he would.
No more QB dilemma: The Chiefs didn’t want to part with any of their four quarterbacks, so Tyler Bray’s knee and ankle injuries from Thursday night’s preseason game in Green Bay were very convenient. The injuries allowed the Chiefs to put Bray on injured reserve. His season is over but the Chiefs retain his rights. Bray has a lot of ability, but he wasn’t going to help the Chiefs this year. Their quarterback depth chart now reads Alex Smith, Chase Daniel and rookie Aaron Murray.
What’s next: The Chiefs could be actively looking for help on the offensive line and in the defensive backfield. Right tackle Donald Stephenson returns from NFL suspension after four games. Until then, the Chiefs can’t be content with a collection of backups that includes two untested players and Mike McGlynn, recently released by Washington. The Chiefs have precious little in the way of experienced depth in the secondary. Meanwhile, the Chiefs kept four tight ends and six running backs. So the final players on the depth chart at those respective positions, Richard Gordon and Joe McKnight, shouldn’t get too comfortable.
Chiefs moves: Placed QB Tyler Bray and WR Kyle Williams on injured-reserve list; placed DL Mike Catapano on non-football injury list; placed WR Dwayne Bowe and OT Donald Stephenson on suspended list; released S Jonathon Amaya, S Malcolm Bronson, FB Jordan Campbell, DL Dominique Hamilton, WR Mark Harrison, G Ricky Henry, LB Alonzo Highsmith, LB Nico Johnson, DT Kyle Love, CB Justin Rogers, DT Kona Schwenke, PK Ryan Succop, CB DeMarcus Van Dyke, LB Devan Walker, OT J’Marcus Webb, RB Charcandrick West, WR Fred Williams.