The Kansas City Chiefs are quietly adding depth to a secondary that could see major turnover this offseason.

Kansas City is expected to lose several defensive backs in free agency, including multiple players from its 2022 draft class. Complicating matters further, three of the team’s five safeties are not under contract beyond the 2025 season. With the Chiefs projected to be more than $57 million over the salary cap, retaining veteran talent appears unlikely.

As a result, the front office is turning to low-cost options to rebuild the back end of the defense. One such move came Wednesday, when the Chiefs signed safety Tanner McCalister to a reserve/futures contract.

McCalister, 26, previously spent time with the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos, including the 2024 season in Denver, where he appeared in three games primarily on special teams. He also had a brief stint on Kansas City’s practice squad late in the season before being released in early January.

An undrafted free agent in 2023 out of Ohio State Buckeyes, McCalister logged limited defensive snaps early in his career but has shown value as a special teams contributor. While he has yet to establish himself as a regular on defense, his versatility and age make him an intriguing developmental option.

McCalister enters his fourth NFL season at a time when Kansas City may need to rely heavily on unproven players in the secondary. Under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, the Chiefs have consistently turned late-round picks and undrafted players into meaningful contributors.

This signing may not generate headlines, but for a team facing financial constraints and potential roster depletion, it represents another necessary roll of the dice. And in Kansas City’s system, those gambles have paid off before.