One of the stars of the Kansas City Chiefs’ training camp and preseason was veteran tight end Robert Tonyan. Six months ago, it was uncertain that Tonyan would be able to extend his career for an eighth season. He responded by dominating the Chiefs’ preseason with eight catches for 90 yards and a touchdown over three games.

Shockingly, the Chiefs released Tonyan on Tuesday as they reduced their roster from 90 to 53 players. But there were immediate rumors he would soon return to the team.

Tonyan was signed to Kansas City’s practice squad on Wednesday, but that day’s biggest Chiefs news would create his path back to the active roster. With wide receiver Rashee Rice accepting a six-game suspension to start the year, a roster spot opened. Per Thursday’s NFL transactions report, that opening will go to Tonyan, who was officially activated to the roster from the practice squad.

Because of Tonyan’s veteran status, he did not need to pass through waivers after being cut. This may have helped the Chiefs retain wide receivers like Jason Brownlee and Nikko Remigio as they planned for Rice’s suspension.

Also on Thursday, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach discussed wanting to become younger at the defensive tackle position. Work on that goal continued later that day as the team officially signed defensive tackles Zacch Pickens and Broderick Martin to the practice squad. Pickens and Martin were third-round selections of the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions, respectively, in the 2o23 NFL Draft.

Also signed to the practice squad on Thursday were defensive ends Tyreke Smith and Ethan Downs, plus safety Jammie Robinson. Smith was a 2022 fifth-round draft selection of the Seattle Seahawks, while Robinson joined the Carolina Panthers in the same round a year later. Downs signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in April as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma.

The Chiefs also made the widely reported return of running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire official. The team’s first-round selection from 2020 has also been added to the practice squad.

Wide receiver Hal Presley and defensive tackle Coziah Izzard signed with Kansas City’s practice squad on Wednesday after being cut from the team on Tuesday and clearing waivers. Presley and Izzard’s practice squad contracts were terminated on Thursday to make room for Kansas City’s newest additions.

The team now has a practice squad roster of 17 men. Practice squad offensive lineman Chukwuebuka Godrick has a roster exemption, allowing Kansas City to have one extra player on the 16-man taxi squad.