Kansas State cornerback Ekow Boye-Doe had the look of a promising undrafted rookie with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2023, earning a 90-man training camp spot after an impressive minicamp invite.
Although Boye-Doe initially started out on the practice squad last season, he was eventually signed to the active roster in late November. From that point on, the CB prospect appeared in six regular season games and one playoff outing — logging 15 defensive snaps and another 84 on special teams.
Unfortunately, with new faces joining the KC secondary in 2024, Boye-Doe did not do enough to earn a spot on the 53-man roster or the practice squad following training camp. Instead, he was waived at the cutdown and on December 10, the second-year defensive back finally resurfaced with the New York Giants.
NYG team reporter Dan Salomone announced the signing of Boye-Doe to the Giants’ practice squad on Tuesday of Week 15.
It’s a good opportunity for the Ghanaian native, being that Big Blue has multiple injuries at the position — including a new one suffered by 2023 draft pick Tre Hawkins, who was placed on the injured reserve on December 10. The Giants also sport a 2-11 record through their first 13 games, so they might give younger guys like Boye-Doe a look with the playoffs out of reach.
Boye-Doe just turned 25 years old in November. He won a Super Bowl ring with the Chiefs as a rookie, earning a solid 66.3 coverage grade on Pro Football Focus, along with a shaky 47.6 mark on special teams.
Chiefs Still Searching for Answers at Cornerback With Steven Nelson Signing
After letting Boye-Doe go in August, the Chiefs are still searching for answers at cornerback. On December 9, general manager Brett Veach finalized a practice squad deal with veteran CB Steven Nelson — who chose to come out of retirement to join Kansas City on their quest for a three-peat.
Nelson was originally a former third-round draft pick of the Chiefs in 2015. He spent his first four seasons with the organization, starting 38 games as part of 52 appearances total. Nelson recorded 4 interceptions with Kansas City, as well as 35 pass defenses, 1 forced fumble and 8 tackles for a loss.
From there, he spent time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans before deciding to hang up the jersey with a newborn baby on the way. Now, it appears Nelson’s family life is in a place where he can retake the field, and he must have showed the Chiefs that he still has something left in the tank during his Monday team visit.
Despite retiring, Nelson is coming off one of the best years of his career in 2023. The experienced vet recorded 4 interceptions and 12 pass defenses last season, and Pro Football Focus graded him as a 74.0 in pass coverage and a 70.4 as a tackler — which, respectively, were the second-highest marks of his career in each area.
Perhaps, Nelson can finally solve the Chiefs’ post-L’Jarius Sneed inconsistencies at cornerback.
Former Chiefs UDFA Jerome Carvin Signs With Jaguars
Speaking of former Chiefs UDFAs, ex-KC offensive lineman Jerome Carvin also popped up on the NFL transaction log on December 10.
“[The Jacksonville] Jaguars sign Jerome Carvin and Myles Gaskin,” KPRC 2 NFL insider Aaron Wilson relayed on X, listing corresponding moves as well.
When Carvin first signed with the Chiefs out of college in 2023, he was described as a former teammate of right guard Trey Smith who had “starting potential.” Unfortunately, the rookie suffered an injury late in camp, choosing the injury settlement route after Kansas City attempted to transfer him onto IR at the 53-man cutdown.
Since leaving KC, Carvin has bounced around the NFL, passing through three different organizations over his first two seasons. The Jaguars will be his fourth franchise since his injury settlement with the Chiefs, and his fifth team total.
