Chiefs Release 10-Year NFL Veteran Defensive End Hours Before 53-Man Deadline

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Chiefs Release 10-Year NFL Veteran Defensive End Hours Before 53-Man Deadline

Jonathan Vankin · HEAVY

Sun, Aug 30, 2026 ·

3 min read

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Emmanuel Ogbah 's second stint with the Kansas City Chiefs lasted less than three weeks.

Kansas City released the veteran defensive end Sunday, hours before the 5 p.m. CT deadline to reduce its roster to 53 players. ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported the move. Ogbah, a vested veteran entering his 11th NFL season, immediately becomes a free agent and may sign with any team rather than go through the waiver process.

The decision ends a brief reunion. Kansas City agreed to terms with Ogbah on August 11, then made the defensive end signing official two days later, releasing undrafted cornerback Bryce Phillips to clear a camp-roster spot.

A Brief Return for Ogbah

The Browns selected Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogbah with the 32nd overall pick in the 2016 draft, and he spent three seasons in Cleveland before Kansas City acquired him in a 2019 trade for safety Eric Murray . Ogbah arrived for the final season of his rookie contract, which paid him $1.351 million that year.

Born Nov. 6, 1993, in Lagos, Nigeria, Ogbah moved with his family to Texas at age 9. He attended George Bush High School before playing at Oklahoma State, where he became a two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection and the conference's 2015 co-Defensive Player of the Year. The Cowboys list the Lagos-born defender's Oklahoma State background , including his 6-foot-4, 275-pound frame and 28 career sacks in Stillwater.

His first Chiefs season had promise. Ogbah recorded 5 1/2 sacks in 10 games, including four starts, before a torn pectoral muscle in Week 10 ended his year. He missed Kansas City's postseason run to a Super Bowl LIV title.

Then came Miami , where Ogbah posted consecutive nine-sack seasons in 2020 and 2021, followed by Jacksonville in 2025. He entered the 2026 camp with 48 sacks, 332 tackles , nine forced fumbles and 90 starts across 136 regular-season games.

"It was disappointing the one year we had him in 2019," defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said before Ogbah's signing became official. "I thought he was really coming on and then he got hurt, and then we didn't have him at the end of the year."

Spagnuolo added that he had remained in touch with Ogbah periodically and would be excited if he joined the group. No public statement from Andy Reid, Spagnuolo or general manager Brett Veach addressing Sunday's release had surfaced by late morning.

Kansas City's Ogbah Decision and Remaining Depth

Ogbah signed for one year and $1.3 million, with $200,000 guaranteed, according to contract figures reported by Spotrac . It was a low-cost depth move, and releasing him before Week 1 limits the club's remaining financial obligation.

His departure leaves George Karlaftis as the established edge starter, with Felix Anudike-Uzomah, rookie R Mason Thomas , Ashton Gillotte and Tyreke Smith among the remaining options. Gillotte's status remains consequential after his August plantar-fascia injury, while Ethan Downs is already on injured reserve.

Kansas City appears to have chosen its younger edge players over a veteran who had returned as insurance.

The Chiefs have reportedly released veteran cornerbacks Kaiir Elam and D'Arco Perkins-McAllister, while younger players including tight end Tre Watson, linebacker Wesley Bissainthe, cornerback Zelmar Vedder and wide receiver Xavier Loyd have been waived.