The Kansas City Chiefs added bulk and depth to their offensive line Thursday by signing free-agent tackle Kellen Diesch, a 6-foot-7, 300-pound lineman who recently helped capture a UFL title.
To make room on the roster, the team waived tackle Matt Waletzko with an injury designation. Waletzko had been dealing with a knee issue that kept him out of recent practices.
Diesch arrived after participating in a tryout the day before. He was one of two tackles the Chiefs brought in for a look Wednesday, according to reporter Matt Derrick.
The signing itself was first reported by NBC Sports. The move comes as training camp injuries have thinned out the tackle group heading into the preseason.
Kansas City’s offensive line has already seen several absences, making an injection of size a practical step for depth.
Diesch grew up in Trophy Club, Texas, and starred at Byron Nelson High School. He began his college career at Texas A&M, where he redshirted and then served mainly as a reserve from 2016 through 2019. He transferred to Arizona State and found a larger role.
There he started extensively in both 2020 and 2021, earning second-team All-Pac-12 recognition each season. Pro Football Focus graded him as the top tackle in the conference during his final college year.
At 26 years old, Diesch has relied on his size and athletic testing as constant strengths through multiple professional stops. He has yet to play a regular-season NFL snap.
The Miami Dolphins signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2022. Over the next three years he moved through the Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans organizations, mostly on practice squads or via short-term waiver claims.
After the Titans released him, Diesch shifted to the UFL in 2025. He signed with the Arlington Renegades before a trade sent him to the Memphis Showboats in exchange for offensive lineman J.D. DiRenzo.
That season he appeared in six games without a start, splitting time between the two clubs. This year the Houston Roughnecks selected him in the UFL draft, then released him in mid-April.
The Louisville Kings claimed him soon afterward. He played in seven games with two starts for Louisville. The Kings finished the regular season 6-4 and went on to win the 2026 United Bowl, securing the UFL championship.
Diesch contributed to that title run.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo noted the signing as another example of a UFL player earning a spot on an NFL training camp roster, reflecting a broader pattern of spring-league talent finding opportunities.
None of Diesch’s recent success guarantees him a place on Kansas City’s initial 53-man roster. His limited NFL experience and late arrival into a competitive backup tackle battle make him a long shot for the cutdown.
His most realistic path may run through the practice squad. There his combination of measurable athleticism and championship-level UFL experience could position him as a useful emergency option if the Chiefs’ tackle injuries persist into the regular season.
For now, the addition of a player with Diesch’s frame and recent winning pedigree gives the offensive line room some extra insurance as the preseason unfolds. The team will evaluate him closely in the coming practices and games.
