How many newcomers did Chiefs add? Andy Reid, Brett Veach on champions shopping spree

The Chiefs entered roster reduction day earlier this week seemingly with their two-deep largely established, with perhaps an eye on a potential newcomer to fill a gap.

Instead, the Chiefs went on a shopping spree, acquiring six new players over the past week, starting with the return of wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster after he was released by the New England Patriots..

That started a run of new faces. The Chiefs traded a seventh-round draft pick to the Arizona Cardinals for defensive end Cameron Thomas, and just before the deadline traded a conditional future pick to the Dallas Cowboys for tight end Peyton Hendershot.

The Chiefs were just getting started. After the cuts, they claimed off waivers cornerback Eric Scott Jr., a local product, from the Cowboys.

Next: running back Samaje Perine, signed after getting cut by the Denver Broncos. The additions continued when the Chiefs signed quarterback Bailey Zappe, formerly of the Patriots, on Thursday.

Quite the haul for the organization that’s won two straight Super Bowls and three in five years. The Chiefs determined they needed to fortify their depth at several positions and worked the market.

Coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach addressed most of the moves as the Chiefs prepare for the NFL opener on Thursday Night Football against the Baltimore Ravens at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

Smith-Schuster figures to slot in somewhere after Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy. He knows the Chiefs and much of the playbook after leading the team in receptions among wide receivers in 2022. Brown will miss at least the opener with a shoulder injury, so Smith-Schuster could be an immediate factor.

“We welcomed JuJu back with open arms,” Reid said. “He’s healthy and ready to go. He looks great right now. He jumped right back and had some great practices for us. It’s good to have him back in the mix.”

With Charles Omenihu out for perhaps half the season recovering from an ACL injury, the Chiefs were thought to be in the market for a defensive end. Thomas, a third-round pick in 2022, appears to be a better fit in coordinator’s Steve Spagunolo’s 4-3 defense than the Cardinals’ 3-4.

“We didn’t have a fifth defensive end,” Veach said. “Cam is a guy that we liked coming out, and he’s a high motor player and he has some George Karlaftis qualities with the way he plays and how he attacks things.”

Karlaftis and Mike Danna are the starters, but Thomas figures to join Felix Anudike-Uzomah and Malik Herring in the rotation and can move inside on occasion.

The addition of Hendershot came at the expense of Irv Smith, Jr., who signed with the Chiefs after last season. Hendershot’s value on special teams made him a Chiefs target.

“He’s a guy that has played a ton of special teams reps,” Veach said. “It would good to take Noah (Gray) off some of those things. I think Noah continues to get better and he’s a guy that I think we want to feature him in the offense a little bit more.”

Scott is a local product who attended Basheor-Linwood High. He was the Cowboys’ sixth-round selection in 2023 — a pick they acquired in a trade with the Chiefs — and didn’t appear in a game as a rookie. But Scott had a strong preseason, including an interception.

The Chiefs like cornerbacks with size, and the 6-1 Scott fits the profile. Also, the Chiefs have some injury issues among corners, with Jaylen Watson, Joshua Williams and Nazeeh Johnson missing time in the preseason. Scott adds depth.

“When you have a guy that has traits, (you) always want to take a chance there,” Veach said.

The Chiefs will be happy to have Perine on their sideline. He’s tormented the Chiefs in previous games, especially during his tenure with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Perine’s 41-yard touchdown on a screen pass started the Bengals’ comeback victory in the 2021 AFC Championship Game. A year later, he produced 155 combined rushing and receiving yards in a Bengals regular-season victory.

The Chiefs kept undrafted rookie Carson Steele, released Deneric Prince and added Perine as a fourth running back to join Isiah Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire..

“We all know what he did to us when he was at Cincinnati,” Reid said. “He’s been a phenomenal third-down back, but he’s also a good runner. The opportunity to have a guy in here who can do the run game and the pass game, he’s a good, well-rounded football player.”

Zappe played in 14 games over the previous two seasons in New England. He’ll back up Patrick Mahomes and Carson Wentz after the Chiefs released Chris Oladokun and Ian Book.