It may have taken over two hours past the deadline to come to a conclusion, but the Kansas City Chiefs have finally released their final 53-man roster heading into the 2026 season. And with it came some shocking omissions and a couple of surprising keeps.
The top 40 or so players on the roster were obvious, as it typically is every year. But the bottom third of the roster always gets shaken up year to year. Many of the Chiefs who were cut today could very well end up back on Kansas City's practice squad very soon, assuming they clear waivers.
That's always a risk to be taken, but one Brett Veach and Andy Reid felt comfortable taking with a few guys. So let's get right into the three most surprising cuts the Chiefs made.
Kansas City finally posted their final 53-man squad heading into the 2026 season, and these three cuts will have you baffled
Emari Demercado
I've been a Demercado fan all training camp and preseason. But when his snaps began coming later in games, and it became clear the Chiefs began to utilize the rookie Emmett Johnson more, as well as feeling comfortable enough to give Brashard Smith meaningful touches, I knew his days might have been numbered.
Still, Demercado remains the best pass-blocking back among this trio behind the great Kenneth Walker III. Keeping just three backs is surprising, but the Chiefs can always wait and see if Demercado clears waivers and sign him to the practice squad, or they can shift their focus toward developing young guys Jadyn Ott and E.J. Smith.
Andrew Armstrong
Would I have preferred Armstrong to make the roster over a guy like Jared Wiley, who in three years has done absolutely nothing in a Chiefs uniform? Absolutely. But I should not have expected any different. The Chiefs kept six wide receivers, choosing return man Nikko Remigio over the bigger-bodied Armstrong.
I can understand it, just based on the fact that, game-to-game, Remigio will have a bigger impact than Armstrong, as he's going to get roughly four to five attempts per game to make a big-splash return. But I absolutely would have preferred Armstrong as a guy who can legitimately help on offense if ever needed and give Mahomes a different kind of receiver to target.
Kader Kohou
I largely expected Kohou not to make the team over the past few weeks. The coaches didn't seem too interested in putting him in the preseason games until very late, and when in, Kohou failed to separate himself. His role was meant to be the starting slot corner when the Chiefs signed him.
But this summer has brought multiple names up in the conversation for the same role. Kohou, who is still recovering from a torn ACL last season, never realized the opportunity in front of him and sadly may have left his most meaningful football behind.
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