KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Chiefs brought back outside linebacker Dezman Moses three days after waiving him, the team announced Wednesday.
Aug. 18, 2015; St. Joseph, MO: Outside linebacker Dezman Moses (54) battles rookie tight end JJames O’Shaughnessy (80) during training camp. (Emily DeShazer/The Topeka Capital-Journal)
The 6-2, 240-pound Moses, a fourth-year pro, was waived Sunday as a corresponding move when the Chiefs claimed tight end Brian Parker off waivers from the San Diego Chargers.
Moses rejoins a linebacker corps consisting of Justin Houston, Tambi Hali, Derrick Johnson, Josh Mauga, Frank Zombo, Dee Ford and rookies Ramik Wilson and D.J. Alexander.
To make room on the roster, the Chiefs placed guard Paul Fanaika, who signed a three-year deal in March, on season-ending injured reserve with a back injury.
Head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder said Fanaika suffered tightness in his back after lifting weights Sunday morning.
“He comes in the next day worse,” Burkholder said. “Dr. (Cris) Barnthouse saw him Monday morning, Labor Day morning, referred him for an MRI, which showed he had a herniated disk in his back.”
Burkholder said Dr. Paul Arnold of the Kansas Hospital neurosurgery recommended Fanaika undergo surgery.
The Chiefs are now deciding if the procedure is necessary.
“Some of these can go with surgery and some can’t,” Burkholder said. “But the timing of it, they put him on injured reserve because he was going to miss time. The debate is do you try to rehab him and take almost the same time as you would if you operate on him and rehabbed him.”
Fanaika is being referred to others to seek a second and third opinion, Burkholder said.
The Chiefs now have eight offensive lineman on the roster: Donald Stephenson, Ben Grubbs, rookie Mitch Morse, Laurent Duveray-Tardif, Eric Fisher, Jeff Allen, Jah Reid, Zach Fulton.
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Herbie Teope is the lead Chiefs beat writer for ChiefsDigest.com and The Topeka Capital-Journal. Use the contact page to reach him or find him on Twitter: @HerbieTeope.
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