The NFL offseason is about to ramp up, leaving Kansas City Chiefs fans waiting to see what general manager Brett Veach has in store for the coming months.
As good as the Chiefs are, re-tooling the roster is a must after falling to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 59. Next month's free agency period is one tool that can be used to bolster the team, meaning roster spots must be cleared if Veach hopes to add depth pieces who can make a difference.
Although it remains to be seen what the Chiefs will do to the 53-man roster, two practice squad spots just became available on Tuesday.
Chiefs News: Steven Nelson, Cole Christiansen Practice Squad Contracts Expire
According to KPRC 2 Houston's Aaron Wilson, the Chiefs have allowed cornerback Steven Nelson and linebacker Cole Christiansen's practice squad contracts to expire.
Practice squad contracts expired for #Chiefs free agents Steven Nelson and Cole Christiansen
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) February 18, 2025
Neither contract expiration is all that surprising given that the practice squad duo barely made a mark on the Chiefs' 2024 campaign.
Nelson, 32, was drafted 98th overall by the Chiefs in 2015 and went on to play four seasons with the franchise. He spent the following five years playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Houston Texans before retiring last offseason.
Retirement didn't last long, though, as Nelson joined the Chiefs for the remainder of the 2024 season in December. Although he was eventually activated before the Super Bowl, the former Oregon State Beaver didn't take a single snap all game.
Meanwhile, Christiansen had been with the Chiefs since he was signed to the practice squad right before the 2022 campaign began. The ex-Army LB has spent the last three seasons exclusively as a special teamer, tallying three solo tackles across 182 special teams snaps in 15 games.
Having said that, Christiansen is who he is at this point and has likely reached his ceiling, making him an easily replaceable player. On the bright side, he at least has two Super Bowl rings to show for his brief Kansas City run.
Time will tell who the Chiefs sign to fill Nelson and Christiansen's now-vacant practice squad spots. The 2025 NFL tampering period begins on Monday, March 10 before free agency officially opens two days later.