Former Auburn defensive lineman signs with Chiefs

Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Byron Cowart tackles Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders during an NFL game on Nov. 20, 2022, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
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Free agent defensive lineman Byron Cowart signed with the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday.

The Chiefs have All-Pro Chris Jones coming back at defensive tackle, but Kansas City lost its No. 2 player at the position this month when Khalen Saunders left in free agency for the New Orleans Saints.

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Cowart played in all 17 regular-season games for the Indianapolis Colts in 2022. On the field for 227 defensive snaps and 92 special-teams plays, Cowart had 12 tackles, including two tackles for loss.

Once ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the 2015 class, Cowart played at Auburn in 2015 and 2016 before being granted his release early in the 2017 season. Cowart cited his lack of playing time and the health of his mother as the reasons he sought to leave the Tigers. Cowart played at Maryland in the 2018 season.

Cowart joined the New England Patriots in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He played in five games as a rookie, then made 14 starts in his second season, when he totaled 29 tackles and recorded one sack while playing 419 defensive snaps.

Cowart did not play during the 2021 season. He opened training camp on the physically-unable-to-perform list with an undisclosed injury and never came off it.

The Patriots waived Cowart on July 22, 2022, and he joined the Colts the next day as a waiver claim.

Terms of Cowart’s contract with the Chiefs have not been announced.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.

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