According to reports around the NFL, several teams are circling for a cornerback. Perhaps that explains one of the Kansas City Chiefs' most recent roster moves.
The Chiefs promoted Kevin Knowles from the practice squad after Week 7's win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The transaction isn't a notable one on the surface, but positionally speaking, it sent a signal to look beyond it toward the bigger picture.
Knowles' elevation to the active roster was in concert with the placement of defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott on the team's injured reserve list. The rookie suffered a torn ACL against Las Vegas, but instead of replacing him with someone who plays the same role, the Chiefs rewarded Knowles, who happens to play a position of strength for K.C.
That's not a knock on Knowles at all. The promising young cornerback was a darkhorse contender for an active roster spot out of training camp after putting together a strong preseason showing. The Chiefs liked Knowles as an instinctive special teams performer, and he was a popular bet to make the team in place of Joshua Williams.
But the Chiefs have kept Knowles on the practice squad since training camp only to choose to bring him onto the roster at a time when the unit looks strong. That signaled a different strategy than simply wanting Knowles to enter the rotation at the next level. Given that Kristian Fulton can't even see the field as a healthy scratch, the move didn't quite add up.
Kevin Knowles is on the active roster, and the latest NFL trade rumors might signal why.
However, recent rumors from reporter Dianna Russini of The Athletic suggest that several teams are circling for cornerback help. The Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Detroit Lions, and Baltimore Ravens are all mentioned, and there might not be enough corners available on the trade market to satisfy demand.
If the Chiefs aren't the only ones high on Knowles' promise, it'd be easy for another team to poach him from the practice squad. That could be why general manager Brett Veach felt like the prudent move would be to protect him on the active roster, even if it left the team thinner at defensive tackle for the interim.
During this week's press conference, coordinator Steve Spagnuolo mentioned that the Chiefs might ask defensive ends like Mike Danna to slide inside while they search for help. Beyond that, the Chiefs are rumored to be searching for potential help before the trade deadline themselves along the defensive interior.
For now, the Chiefs have Knowles protected. It could be that they just like Knowles enough to have him around on game days. It's also possible they know vultures are circling. Given the recent rumors, the latter seems to make more sense.