The Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end unit has had a rough year with injuries. That continued on December 20, as undrafted rookie Baylor Cupp was transferred to the practice squad’s version of the injured reserve for the second time this season.
KSHB 41 beat reporter Nick Jacobs relayed the roster move on X, sharing a screenshot of Friday’s NFL transaction log. “TE Baylor Cupp is on the practice squad injured list,” he informed.
Cupp was just elevated as the third tight end in Week 14. He logged six offensive snaps according to Pro Football Focus, grading out as a 60.0 as a run blocker in a very limited sample size. The youngster also registered four snaps on special teams, earning a mark of 73.2 out of 100.
It’s unclear when Cupp suffered an injury and why he’s been transferred to the reserve list, but the Chiefs are back down to just three available tight ends inside the organization.
On the flip side, including Cupp, Kansas City has four tight ends that are unavailable due to injury. Peyton Hendershot and Cupp are currently on the practice squad injured list and Jody Fortson and drafted rookie Jared Wiley find themselves on the long-term injured reserve.
Chiefs Elevate TE Anthony Firkser & S Deon Bush From Practice Squad for Week 16
To no surprise, the Chiefs will be promoting their only other tight end outside of Travis Kelce and Noah Gray in Week 16. Jacobs reported on the practice squad elevations as well, noting that “the Chiefs have elevated S Deon Bush and TE Anthony Firkser.”
This is the third time that KC has elevated Firkser, meaning they’ll have to sign him to the 53-man roster if they want to play him on Christmas Day. The veteran blocking tight end is mostly deployed in the run game, with five snaps as a run blocker compared to nine overall.
The Chiefs also utilize him on special teams, although Firkser has only logged snaps on kick return and kick return coverage since joining Kansas City.
Similar to Firkser, Bush is being promoted in order to help account for injuries.
The veteran special teams ace and long-time KC reserve will also help on coordinator Dave Toub’s ST units, but it is Chamarri Conner’s concussion that makes him a necessary elevation this week. With Conner ruled out, Bush will presumably slot in behind safeties Justin Reid, Bryan Cook, and rookies Jaden Hicks and Christian Roland-Wallace in the secondary.
Chiefs Officially Activate WR Hollywood Brown as LB Leo Chenal Pops up on Week 16 Injury Report
The fourth and final roster move on December 20 was the official activation of long-lost wide receiver signing Marquise “Hollywood” Brown.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported the news just after 4 p.m. (CST), but FOX Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz actually broke the story earlier in the afternoon. Brown’s activation also showed up on the NFL transaction log next to the practice squad elevations.
There is one potential situation to watch heading into the Saturday contest.
Linebacker Leo Chenal was a last-minute addition on the Chiefs’ injury report on December 20. He is now considered “questionable” to play with an “illness.”
We’ll have to wait until Kansas City reveals their gameday inactives to find out if Chenal is healthy enough to go against the Houston Texans.
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