Chiefs sign 3 tryout players to 90-man roster; here’s what to know

The offseason roster continues churning in Kansas City.

Per Tuesday’s official NFL transaction report, the Kansas City Chiefs signed three players who tried out at last weekend’s rookie minicamp. Former Louisiana Tech wide receiver Jimmy Holiday, TCU linebacker Cooper McDonald, and Carson-Newman defensive back Major Williams were added.

Holiday played at Tennessee and Western Kentucky before joining Louisiana Tech last season. In a dual-threat role, he caught 39 passes for 476 yards and two touchdowns while carrying the ball 48 times for 182 yards and four more scores on the ground. Measuring 6 feet and weighing 199 pounds, the Flora, Mississippi, product reportedly ran the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds at Louisiana Tech’s pro day.

Holiday was reportedly set to participate in the New York Giants’ rookie camp this weekend before getting the chance to stay in Kansas City.

Williams — a native of Fort Myers, Florida — was once a recruit of the Virginia Cavaliers but played only one game for the squad. Over the past three seasons for Division II’s Carson Newman, he totaled 22.5 tackles-for-loss and four interceptions. Williams measured 5 feet 11 and weighed 198 lbs. at a pro day workout and also posted a 4.4-second 40-yard dash time.

McDonald returned to his native Fort Worth area to spend 2024 at TCU after a pair of seasons each at Washington and San Diego State. In his lone Horned Frog campaign, he contributed three sacks and a forced fumble in nine games. At the Big 12 combined pro day, he measured 6 feet 2 and weighed 235 pounds.

 Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Kansas City subsequently made a trio of corresponding roster moves.

Cornerback Robert Rochell was released. The former Los Angeles Rams fourth-round draft selection signed with the Chiefs in March after spending the last two seasons with the Green Bay Packers.

Safety Will Brooks and wide receiver Justin Lockhart were waived after being announced as undrafted free agent signings (UDFAs) on Saturday. Lockhart’s transaction was punctuated with an injury designation. Assuming he clears waivers, he will revert to Kansas City’s injured reserve list on Wednesday. Presumably, the team and his agent will begin negotiations on an injury settlement to allow him to catch on with a new team — or possibly eventually return to the Chiefs — once healthy.

In another move of note, edge rusher B.J. Thompson reverted to Kansas City’s Reserve/Non-Football Illness list after going unclaimed on waivers. The Chiefs waived Thompson on Saturday to clear roster space for adding UDFAs to the 90-man offseason roster.

Last June, Thompson suffered a frightening cardiac arrest episode in a meeting at the Chiefs’ facility.

Friend-of-the-site Matt Derrick of Chiefs Digest reported on Saturday that the move was procedural and that the Chiefs planned for Thompson to revert to the reserve list and continue receiving care from Kansas City medical personnel.

On Sunday, head coach Andy Reid clarified the waiver would not close the door on Thompson eventually resuming his career.