A partially torn ACL in July 2025 wiped out Kader Kohou’s entire season. Now, following a Week 8 loss to the Denver Broncos, his comeback bid in Kansas City has officially ended. The Chiefs terminated Kohou’s practice squad contract on Monday, parting ways with the veteran cornerback before he ever took a regular-season snap for the team.

A to Z Sports’ Charles Goldman delivered the news of Kohou’s departure on social media. While Kohou was brought in during free agency to build defensive depth after cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson joined the Los Angeles Rams, he failed to make the 53-man roster out of camp and spent the first eight weeks stashed on the practice squad without seeing game action.

Coming off the loss to Denver, Kansas City decided to clear roster spots and officially cut ties, signaling he was no longer part of their future plans. Kohou joined Kansas City earlier this year after spending four seasons with the Miami Dolphins, who signed him as an undrafted free agent after the 2022 NFL Draft.

During his time with the Miami Dolphins, Kohou played as both an inside and outside cornerback. Kader Kohou has played 47 games in his NFL career. He started 38 of the 47 regular-season games he played between 2022 and 2024, recording an Approximate Value (AV) of 14, three interceptions for 2 yards, and no defensive touchdowns.

Injuries made his journey even tougher. Kohou suffered a partially torn ACL during Miami Dolphins training camp on July 26, 2025. The injury happened during an open practice while he was covering Tyreek Hill.

He appeared to hurt his right leg and limped off the field. The Dolphins placed him on injured reserve, which meant he had to miss the entire 2025 season. He also underwent surgery to repair the ACL.

Kohou continued his recovery over the following months. On March 2, 2026, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that he had been medically cleared to return to football activities. This allowed him to resume training and prepare for his return to the field.

With the Chiefs, Kohou got caught in a numbers game behind younger depth pieces like Nohl Williams and Kristian Fulton. Unable to work his way up from the practice squad, the coaching staff opted to move on. Christian Roland-Wallace and Melvin Smith Jr. also provide additional depth at the position for Kansas City, which automatically diminished his chances of taking the field.

Along with roster moves, the team is also dealing with injury ahead of the Week 9 game.

Chiefs dealing with injury

Kansas City Chiefs rookie cornerback Mansoor Delane has been dealing with a shoulder injury throughout the 2026 season. The problem kept him out of the team’s Week 8 game against the Denver Broncos.

Delane was first listed as questionable, meaning he might play, but the Chiefs later ruled him out on Saturday. As a result, he could not help the team’s defense against Denver.

His status for the Chiefs’ Week 9 game against the New York Jets is still uncertain. Head coach Andy Reid discussed his injury during Monday’s news conference and said the team would monitor his condition before deciding if he could play.

“It’s just a matter of it being strong enough to get out there,” Reid said, via ESPN’s Nate Taylor. “There’s a chance that he’ll be able to get himself out there this week. Again, it’s just how strong it is. It’s going to be a day-to-day thing.”

The Chiefs will keep checking Delane’s shoulder during the week to see if he is ready to practice again. The team will return to practice on Wednesday, and his participation could give a better idea of whether he will be available for Sunday’s game.

The Chiefs placed cornerback L’Jarius Sneed on injured reserve because of a knee injury. He missed Wednesday’s practice but returned for limited work on Thursday and Friday. To take his place on the active roster, Kansas City signed cornerback Melvin Smith from the practice squad.

The Chiefs ruled rookie cornerback Mansoor Delane out of the Broncos game because of a shoulder injury. He practiced on Wednesday but missed the next two sessions and was first listed as questionable before being ruled out on Saturday. Andy Reid confirmed that Delane’s injury, which he suffered during the offseason.

It remains to be seen how the Chiefs deal with injuries and other roster changes ahead of the Jets game.