Chiefs Re-Sign Linebacker Cam Jones Ahead of 2026 Season

On August 19, the Kansas City Chiefs announced the signing of free-agent linebacker Cam Jones and the simultaneous waiver of defensive end Anthony Dunn. The transaction restores a player who appeared in every regular-season game for Kansas City in both the 2023 and 2024 campaigns.

Sports Illustrated

Jones entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent after the 2023 draft, making Kansas City’s 53-man roster and contributing 17 total tackles in his rookie season, which culminated in a Super Bowl LVIII victory over the San Francisco 49ers. He repeated the full-season participation in 2024, adding 19 tackles. The Chiefs waived him during the 2025 training camp; he subsequently spent time on the New York Jets (injured reserve after a Week 6 hip injury) and the New York Giants before being released in July 2026. His familiarity with the Chiefs’ defensive scheme is cited as a “plug-and-play” asset for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

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Kansas City’s linebacker group already includes Drue Tranquill, Nick Bolton, Cole Christiansen, Jack Cochrane and others. Special-teams duties are a significant factor in roster decisions: in 2025, Cochrane logged 342 special-teams snaps, the most on the unit, while Cooper McDonald and Jeffrey Bassa competed for the role previously held by Leo Chenal, who left in free agency. The addition of Jones provides depth for both defensive packages and special-teams assignments, though his late arrival (after the start of camp) limits immediate integration.

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• Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reported that the signing had not yet been formally announced as of Wednesday morning.

USA Today

• The team’s front office highlighted Jones’s prior experience with the playbook as a rationale for the move.

Newsweek

• 2023: 17 tackles in 17 games (Chiefs).

USA Today

• 2024: 19 tackles in 17 games (Chiefs).

USA Today

• 2025: Jones placed on injured reserve with the Jets after a hip injury; finished the season with five tackles.

Newsweek

• 2025 special-teams snap leaders: Jack Cochrane (342 snaps, 81 % of unit), Cooper McDonald (second), Jeffrey Bassa (fifth).

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Conversely, USA Today’s league-source description frames the veteran as a “logical plug-and-play option” for Spagnuolo, implying a realistic chance to earn a roster spot. No definitive roster decision has been disclosed, leaving his final status uncertain.

USA Today

The Chiefs will evaluate Jones during the remaining preseason practices and the upcoming exhibition game against the Los Angeles Rams. Final 53-man roster cuts are expected before the regular season begins, at which point the team will confirm whether Jones secures a spot on the active roster, joins the practice squad, or is released.

Newsweek