Chris Oladokun isn’t a stranger to roster cuts. It’s been a part of his preseason routine in the last four years he’s been with the team. He used the extra time last year for golf. But this season, as the Chiefs finalised their 53-man roster and waived Oladokun, there’s a big change. Unlike previous years when Oladokun made his way back into the team, a return in 2026 looks nearly impossible.

The Kansas City Chiefs settled their quarterback room behind Patrick Mahomes on Sunday, and Oladokun did not make the cut. 

So far, for Oladokun, this looks like the usual preseason routine. Since 2023, the team has always waived the QB, and on most of these occasions, he has returned to the practice squad. Last season, he even played a few games after Mahomes’ injury. 

While his performances weren’t impressive in the final few weeks, Oladokun was a good addition to the practice squad, especially to test defensive schemes. But according to the latest update, that prospect seems like a long shot. 

Per NBC Sports, the Chiefs waived Oladokun with an injury designation. Since he was waived with an injury designation, the 28-year-old will revert to the injured reserve if he clears waivers, meaning his season is over in Kansas City unless the team releases him with an injury settlement.

And if we look at the QB room, a release wouldn’t surprise us. The Chiefs added Justin Fields and Garrett Nussmeier in the off-season. One is a former 11-overall pick, and the other is a rookie coming from the 2026 draft. But it was the rookie’s preseason that decided it for Oladokun. 

Oladokun had completed 5 of 11 passes for 63 yards in Week 1 against the Rams, and 5 of 6 passes for 15 yards with an interception in Week 2 against the Buccaneers. He then missed the finale because he was still in concussion protocol after the Week 2 game, leaving the door open for Nussmeier in the final preseason game. 

When the rookie took the field, he blew Oladokun out of the water with a 198-yard game where he completed 22-of-34 passes. Even though Fields will take the QB2 spot, Nussmeier’s first-ever start in the preseason was much better than Oladokun’s previous two games. 

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was encouraged by what he saw from the rookie after Nussmeier worked with the starting offense in practice.

“We threw him right into the fire there with the first group, and I thought he handled it well; it wasn’t a big shock to him,” Reid said on Wednesday. “It looked like he stepped in and took it on, had good leadership, good tempo in and out of the huddle. It’ll pay off for him down the road.”

As for Fields, Reid praised his growth throughout camp as the Chiefs leaned on him to keep the offense sharp in exhibition play.

“He’s a good kid. He works his tail, very smart, and has done some nice things there. He’s done a nice job.”

Now, if no team claims Oladokun on waivers, he will revert to the Chiefs. And if they don’t release him, he could come back next season. But at the moment, things don’t look as positive for Oladokun as they do for the QB room. 

Mahomes has been working his way back from the torn ACL he suffered in December, and he has said being ready for the opener has always been the plan. But head coach Andy Reid has stayed cautious about Mahomes’ return. He has said he will wait for the star quarterback to get full medical clearance and feel ready before making a final decision.

Justin Fields remains the clear veteran option behind Patrick Mahomes after Kansas City acquired him from the Jets this offseason with the expectation that he could step into the starting role if needed.

Garrett Nussmeier, meanwhile, did enough during the preseason to earn a spot rather than being pushed onto the practice squad. The seventh-round pick showed enough poise to stay in the conversation.