The Kansas City Chiefs have re-signed running back Nate Carter to their practice squad, restoring a depth piece just days after releasing him.
The move, confirmed by the team on Friday, comes as part of routine roster adjustments and returns the 24-year-old to the organization where he had spent the early portion of the 2026 season.
Carter’s brief departure occurred earlier in the week when the Chiefs terminated his practice squad contract to create space for the addition of linebacker Aiden Fisher.
That transaction left the Rochester, New York, native briefly without a team before the Chiefs brought him back.
He has yet to appear in a regular-season game for Kansas City this year, having joined the practice squad on September 1 after being waived by the Atlanta Falcons at the end of the preseason.
A product of Bishop Kearney High School in Irondequoit, New York, Carter began his college career at UConn.
After redshirting in 2020, he rushed for 578 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman in 2021, then added 405 yards and a score in a shortened 2022 season before transferring.
At Michigan State, he became a primary ball carrier, posting 798 rushing yards and four touchdowns in 2023 followed by 499 yards and five scores in 2024.
Over his collegiate career, he accumulated more than 2,200 rushing yards while also contributing as a receiver out of the backfield.
Carter entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Falcons in 2025. He appeared in seven games that season, carrying the ball nine times for 60 yards while logging significant snaps on special teams.
Although he did not secure a permanent roster spot in Atlanta entering 2026, his combination of college production and limited professional experience has kept him in the mix as a developmental option.
Scouts have noted his compact frame—listed around 5-foot-10 and 202 pounds—and his ability to contribute in multiple facets of the offense and special teams.
With the Chiefs leaning heavily on their established backfield, Carter’s return provides additional insurance and practice-squad flexibility.
The organization has not indicated any immediate plans to elevate him, but the quick reversal of his release suggests the staff values his presence within the building as the season progresses.
For an undrafted player navigating the margins of the roster, the re-signing offers another opportunity to remain in the league and continue developing.
Kansas City will face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night.
