Kadarius Toney, Justyn Ross, Louis Rees-Zammit among Chiefs players released

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – The Kansas City Chiefs trimmed their preseason roster on Tuesday as they prepare for their season opener on Sept. 5.

The back-to-back defending Super Bowl champions released wide receiver Kadarius Toney, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.

In the offseason, the Chiefs had declined to pick up Toney’s fifth-year option. Toney played a significant role in the Chiefs Super Bowl LVII win over Philadelphia with a receiving touchdown and a Super Bowl record 65-yard punt return to set up another score. But his production declined in 2023 and he was left off the Super Bowl LVIII active roster as a healthy scratch.

Dianna Russini with The Athletic reported the Chiefs tried to trade Toney, but ended up releasing him.

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Wide receiver Justyn Ross was also waived on Tuesday, according to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz. Ross had six catches for 53 yards in six games over the 2023 season. He signed a three-year, $2.56 million contract with the Chiefs on May 6, 2022. He didn’t play in 2022 while recovering from an injury.

The Chiefs also released running back Louis Rees-Zammit, Schultz reported. Rees-Zammit, a rugby star from Gloucester, signed with the Chiefs in March through the NFL’s International Player Pathway program.

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UPDATE: The Kansas City Chiefs shared their full list of moves Tuesday evening, several hours after the 3 p.m. deadline.

The Chiefs said they placed defensive end Charles Omenihu on the Physically Unable to Perform List — meaning he can’t return for at least the first four games of the 2024 season. Omenihu tore his ACL during Kansas City’s AFC Championship Game in January.

After suffering a cardiac arrest during a team meeting in June, defensive end BJ Thompson remains on the Non-Football Injury List entering the season.

In all, Kansas City waived the following players:

• Running back Emani Bailey
• Linebacker Swayze Bozeman
• Tight end Baylor Cupp
• Defensive tackle Neil Farrell
• Tackle Chukwuebuka Godrick
• Cornerback Kamal Hadden
• Running back Keaontay Ingram
• Linebacker Curtis Jacobs
• Defensive end Truman Jones
• Defensive tackle Fabien Lovett
• Cornerback D.J. Miller
• Offensive tackle Lucas Niang
• Quarterback Chris Oladokun
• Wide receiver Cornell Powell
• Running back Deneric Prince
• Running back Louis-Rees-Zammit
• Wide receiver Nikko Remigio
• Wide receiver Justyn Ross
• Cornerback Keith Taylor
• Wide receiver Kadarius Toney
• Wide receiver Montrell Washington

The Chiefs released the following veterans:

• Safety Deon Bush
• Linebacker Cole Christiansen
• Defensive tackle Matt Dickerson
• Tight end Irv Smith

And former Mizzou safety Tyree Gillespie was waived with an injury designation.

NFL teams had to trim their rosters to 53 players by Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m. CT.

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