The Kansas City Chiefs just picked up tight end Thomas Odukoya for their practice squad, grabbing him with an international player exemption that lets them keep a 17th player on the unit. This isn’t some minor league fluff, this is a strategic move to add depth early in the NFL season.
From Amsterdam to the NFL’s Front Door
Odukoya’s journey to the Chiefs is seriously wild. He was born in Amsterdam, then came over to play American football at two junior colleges before grinding out four seasons at Eastern Michigan. Talk about taking the long road! He first broke into the NFL with the Tennessee Titans in 2022 as an International Pathway Player, and he’s already seen action in two NFL games. That’s huge for someone coming from outside the traditional college football pipeline. Bringing in Odukoya means the Chiefs can get a closer look at a unique talent without sacrificing a standard practice squad spot.
This kind of roster flexibility is key, especially when you think about how the Chiefs previously utilized this exact rule. They had tackle Chu Godrick as an exempted international player for the past three seasons. He even played in four games last season before the Miami Dolphins claimed him off waivers earlier this week. Losing Godrick definitely opened the door, and the Chiefs wasted no time filling that specialized 17th spot. It shows they know how to play the roster game to their advantage, always looking for that extra edge.
Roster Shuffle Continues with IR Settlements
While Odukoya is coming in, the Chiefs also made moves to clear out some space. They reached injury settlements with three players who were waived/injured during Sunday’s final roster cuts. Quarterback Chris Oladokun, guard CJ Hanson, and running back EJ Smith have all been waived from the Reserve/Injured list. This is the tough side of the NFL business, where injuries can change everything in an instant.
For those players with less than four accrued seasons, getting cut while injured means they typically revert to the team’s IR list if no other team claims them. An injury settlement is basically a handshake deal: the player and team agree on how long recovery should take, and the team pays a prorated portion of their base salary for those expected missed weeks. The specifics usually stay private. Once that settlement expires, Oladokun, Hanson, and Smith are free agents, able to sign with any of the other 31 NFL teams. The kicker? They can’t return to Kansas City for at least three weeks after their settlement runs out. It’s a clean break for the Chiefs, letting those guys get healthy while they continue to shape their roster for the grind of the regular season.
It’s early in the season, and teams are still fine-tuning their squads. Keep an eye on how Odukoya develops on that practice squad. You never know who might get called up and make a name for themselves. Every single move, even on the practice squad, matters for a team gearing up for a full NFL season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Arrowhead Pride.
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