Chiefs sign former fourth-round draft pick in wake of Week 13 injury

The Kansas City Chiefs have added some insurance in the defensive secondary following an injury in Week 13 against the Green Bay Packers. 

Chiefs' second-year S Bryan Cook suffered a serious ankle injury in the Week 13 loss to the Packers. While Cook reportedly avoided any broken bones, he's still expected to miss some time, and could even be in for a stay on injured reserve. 

With that injury in mind, the Chiefs added a former top 150 draft pick to the practice squad. According to Tuesday's NFL personnel notice, the Chiefs signed former Mizzou safety Tyree Gillespie to the practice squad. In a corresponding move, they released WR Chase Cota. 

Gillespie was a fourth-round draft pick in the 2021 NFL draft and a teammate of Chiefs LB Nick Bolton, who was a second-round pick in the same draft class. The University of Missouri product spent a single season with the Las Vegas Raiders and has since spent time with the Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Houston Texans. He was waived/injured by the Texans back in August. Gillespie hasn't played much during his NFL career with just eight career tackles since he entered the league in 2021.

Gillespie ran a 4.41 40-yard dash ahead of the 2021 NFL draft at the Missouri Pro Day. That speed will be intriguing for the likes of both special teams coordinator Dave Toub and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. That doesn't necessarily mean that Gillespie will earn playing time in short order. 

Right now, the Chiefs have rookie DB Chamarri Conner, who will likely see an uptick in snaps following Cook's injury. The team will likely promote veteran safety Deon Bush from the practice squad should Cook wind up on injured reserve. If that happens, expect Cota to be re-signed to the practice squad in short order.