The Kansas City Chiefs completed a roster move on the evening of January 7 according to Chiefs Digest beat reporter Matt Derrick.

“[The] Chiefs released LB Blake Lynch from the practice squad & re-signed WR Montrell Washington,” Derrick relayed on X. Adding: “This was the plan all along.”

“[The] Chiefs needed a [linebacker] for Week 18 since [Cole] Christiansen & [Swayze] Bozeman exhausted their [practice squad] elevations,” the KC media member explained. “Those reset in playoffs.”

Derrick also pondered whether or not Lynch might land a reserve/future contract with the Chiefs following the 2025 playoff run.

With Christiansen and Bozeman both eligible to be elevated from the practice squad again, Kansas City did not need Lynch on the practice squad anymore. Instead, they chose to bolster their returner depth behind Nikko Remigio and Mecole Hardman.

Washington has done very little as a wide receiver at the NFL level, but he’s managed to stick around because of his prowess and potential impact as a returner.

Although he’s only appeared in one 2024 outing — returning one kickoff for 14 yards — Washington logged 8 punt returns and 1 kick return for the Chiefs in 2023, so he’s earned the trust of this KC coaching staff.

Last year, Washington accumulated a punt return average of 7.6 yards, with a long of 23 yards. His lone 2023 kick return went for 20 yards.

This time around, the Chiefs called upon Remigio rather than Washington with Skyy Moore sidelined long-term.

Remigio has shown a little bit more consistency both as a wide receiver and a returner. Through five 2024 appearances, he has 2 catches off 6 targets for 48 yards. The former breakout UDFA also has a punt return average of 9.5 yards (11 returns) and a kick return average of 26.8 yards (11 returns).

He’ll likely be the Chiefs’ lead returner once the playoffs begin for Kansas City in the divisional round

As Derrick floated, Lynch could always return to the Chiefs’ organization at a later date. In fact, A-to-Z Sports Kansas City reporter Charles Goldman practically predicted that he would.

“Unless he finds another home for the playoffs, I expect Blake Lynch back for the Chiefs on a reserve/future deal after his Week 18 performance at WLB,” Goldman posted on X.

He followed up on this opinion within his accompanying article, calling it a “standout performance” from Lynch against the Denver Broncos.

“Perhaps the best performance in Week 18’s game against Denver came from one of the team’s practice squad elevations,” Goldman wrote earlier in the day on January 7. “LB Blake Lynch arrived in Kansas City shortly after the Week 17 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He spent just over a week getting prepared and learning a new system to post six total tackles and a tackle for loss, and he wasn’t targeted in any of his pass-coverage snaps.”

Later, Goldman concluded that “given that [Lynch has] already shown [the Chiefs] what he’s capable of in a single week of practice and a single game, he could sign a reserve or future contract with the team and compete for a role with the Chiefs in 2025.”

To explain, after the season is officially over, teams can begin securing players for their eventual 90-man roster. These contracts do not become official until the new league year starts up in March — which is why they’re referred to as “future” contracts — but these deals tie said player to that organization until that time.

Typically, practice squad players, prospects and journeymen veterans sign to these types of contracts, hoping to earn an opportunity during the following OTAs, minicamp and training camp.