Cole Christiansen is getting his third straight call-up to the active roster for the Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 4 clash against the Las Vegas Raiders, but this one hits different: it’s his last regular season elevation. The Chiefs announced Saturday that the linebacker is elevated from the practice squad, making him eligible for Sunday’s road game. He’s set to revert right back to the practice squad once the final whistle blows. This isn’t just another game for Christiansen, it’s the end of his regular season eligibility for elevation, and it shines a huge spotlight on Kansas City’s linebacker situation.
The Special Teams Workhorse’s Last Dance
This marks Christiansen’s third consecutive elevation since Week 1 when linebacker Cooper McDonald went down with a knee injury. The Army product has been putting in serious work, playing over half of Kansas City’s special teams snaps in the last two weeks alone. We’ve seen Christiansen before, too: he’s made 23 appearances with the team since 2022, even counting the postseason. The wild part? He’s never taken a single defensive snap in any of those games. His role has been strictly special teams, and he’s been reliable there. But with this being his final regular season elevation, the Chiefs are going to need another plan if their linebacker depth keeps getting tested.
Who Steps Up Next for Kansas City’s LB Corps?
Here’s where it gets tricky for the Chiefs. With Christiansen out of elevation options for the rest of the regular season, and Cooper McDonald still on the Reserve/Injured list and required to miss at least one more game, the team is staring down a potential problem. Fellow practice squad linebacker Cam Jones looks like the next logical choice for a call-up in Week 6. That’s assuming, of course, the Chiefs don’t make a move to add a linebacker to the active roster during their upcoming bye week. They’ve been cycling through practice squad guys already this season. Remember defensive tackle Marcus Harris? He got elevated for Weeks 1 and 2, dressed for both, and even got seven defensive snaps. Then defensive end Tyreke Smith was elevated for Week 3 but declared inactive. It shows they’re not afraid to try different options, but the linebacker spot is a critical one, and they just ran out of options for a familiar face.
This Sunday against the Raiders, Christiansen will give it his all on special teams, likely playing a big chunk of those snaps. But after that, the Chiefs’ coaching staff has some serious figuring out to do. They need a solid plan for their linebacker depth, especially with McDonald still sidelined. Let’s see what moves they make, because the regular season isn’t getting any easier.
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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