Former Alabama defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs, who was waived by the Detroit Lions on Tuesday, has quickly found a new opportunity with the playoff-bound Kansas City Chiefs. While the Chiefs have not officially announced the signing, Buggs confirmed it through his Instagram account, expressing gratitude for the opportunity and excitement about joining the team.
Buggs is expected to join the Chiefs’ practice squad, as reported by NFL Network. However, being on the practice squad doesn’t rule out the possibility of him playing for Kansas City. NFL teams are allowed to elevate two practice-squad members to active status for each game. Although it might be unlikely for Buggs to see action in the regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Chargers on short notice, the Chiefs are anticipated to rest many of their key players, given that they have already secured the AFC West title and a first-round home game in the NFL playoffs.
This marks the second time in Buggs’ career that he has been waived in the week leading up to a team’s regular-season finale as they head to the playoffs. The Pittsburgh Steelers released him before their 2021 finale. Buggs, a sixth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, played 29 games for the Steelers, accumulating 433 defensive snaps.
After joining the Lions just before training camp in 2022, Buggs had a productive season with 13 starts in 17 games. He recorded 46 tackles, one sack, 10 quarterback hits, two pass breakups, and one forced fumble during his time on the field, earning him a two-year, $4.5 million contract extension with the Lions.
However, Buggs faced challenges during the 2023 season, experiencing game-day inactivity for the first two contests and missing several games, with some appearances on the injury report labeled as “illness.” In 10 games played in 2023, he contributed 12 tackles and one sack in 254 defensive snaps.
His recent signing with the Kansas City Chiefs offers Buggs a chance to contribute to a playoff-bound team and potentially make an impact during the postseason.
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