Chiefs release fourth-round draft pick to make room for newcomer

The Kansas City Chiefs have made a corresponding move to make room on the practice squad for recently added DT Isaiah Buggs. 

A to Z Sports has learned that S Tyree Gillespie, who first joined the practice squad back in early December, has been released from the practice squad. Gillespie is a former Missouri Tiger and was a fourth-round draft pick by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2021 NFL draft.

The Chiefs needed a practice squad space to make room for Buggs. The former Detroit Lions player figures to be a solid depth piece for the playoffs, but also auditioning for a role in Kansas City during the 2024 NFL season.

Gillespie first joined the Chiefs due to the loss of second-year S Bryan Cook, who suffered an ankle injury in the Week 13 loss to the Green Bay Packers. That injury appeared to be serious, but it didn't include any broken bones and turned out to be a severe sprain.

Cook was placed on injured reserve ahead of Week 14 and will be eligible to be designated to return from the IR list after the conclusion of Week 18. Moving on from Gillespie signals that Cook might make it back to the 53-man roster in time for the playoffs.

“We’ll see on that," Chiefs HC Andy Reid said of Cook and RB Jerick McKinnon returning for the playoffs. "We’ll have to, literally – we’ll have to see how that goes.”