Chiefs Announce Six Moves Following Rookie Minicamp

The Kansas City Chiefs announced they signed three players following their rookie minicamp, including WR Xavier Lloyd, DB Marlen Sewell and OT Kahlil Benson. 

We have signed Free Agents WR Xavier Loyd, DB Marlen Sewell, T Kahlil Benson.

We have waived QB Jake Haener, DE Ethan Hurkett, and DT Zacch Pickens. pic.twitter.com/38vAhkR6gQ

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) May 4, 2026

To make room, the Chiefs waived QB Jake Haener, DE Ethan Hurkett and DT Zacch Pickens. 

Haener, 27, was a three-year starter at Fresno State and earned honorable mention All-MWC in 2020, second-team All-MWC as a junior and first-team All-MWC as a senior. The Saints selected him with the No. 127 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. 

Haener signed a four-year, $4,544,814 rookie contract that includes a $704,814 signing bonus. He was among the Saints’ final roster cuts in 2025 but re-signed to the practice squad shortly after. 

The Chiefs signed Haener to a futures contract back in February. 

In 2024, Haener appeared in eight games for the Saints with one start and completed 46.2 percent of his passes for 226 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Pickens, 26, was named the Gatorade Football Player of the Year as a high school senior in 2018 and committed to South Carolina as a five-star recruit. The Bears drafted him in the third round with the No. 64 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.

He was entering the third year of a four-year, $5,763,789 rookie contract that included a $1,191,846 signing bonus when the Bears waived him at the end of August. The Chiefs signed him to the practice squad and he made a couple of appearances on the active roster before signing a futures deal for 2026. 

In 2025, Pickens appeared in three games for the Chiefs and recorded five total tackles.