The Seattle Seahawks added a former Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman to their roster, claiming tackle Kellen Diesch off waivers less than 24 hours before their upcoming preseason clash. Diesch, a 26-year-old tackle standing 6-foot-7 and weighing 300 pounds, joins Seattle after a brief stint with Kansas City that began just last week. The Chiefs released Diesch a day earlier, creating an immediate opportunity for him with the Seahawks.
The move appears to be a depth addition for Seattle as it prepares for its preseason finale against Kansas City, scheduled to take place at Arrowhead Stadium on Friday evening. Seattle confirmed the acquisition as part of its 90-man roster adjustments. In related transactions, the Seahawks placed linebacker Chris Paul Jr. on injured reserve after designating him for waivers, a move intended to clear space for Diesch on the roster. If Paul clears waivers, he would revert to injured reserve.
Diesch’s road to the NFL has been nontraditional. After going undrafted out of Arizona State in 2022, he signed with the Miami Dolphins and has since spent time with the Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, and Tennessee Titans. He has not appeared in a regular-season NFL game, but he has logged playing time in other leagues and opportunities outside the NFL.
In Kansas City, Diesch played 274 offensive snaps for a team based in Louisville in the United Football League, contributing to a league championship run earlier this summer. The Chiefs signed him on August 19 after waiving tackle Matt Waletzko with an injury designation. Diesch’s stay in Kansas City ended on August 26, when he was waived the same day the Chiefs traded for offensive lineman Joshua Ezeudu with the New York Giants.
Now with Seattle, Diesch faces an immediate test with a team that enters a season with an established starting five on its offensive line. The Seahawks’ 2025 starting group—Charles Cross, Grey Zabel, Jalen Sundell, Anthony Bradford, and Abraham Lucas—helped Seattle post a respectable sack total, with 27 sacks allowed last season (tied for fifth-fewest in the league). This means Diesch is unlikely to step in as a starter right away, as Cross and Lucas remain the clear anchors at left and right tackle, respectively.
Seattle’s current depth chart lists Josh Jones and Amari Kight behind Cross, and Bobby Hart and Logan Brown behind Lucas. Diesch’s immediate goal is to prove his value within that depth chart as rosters tighten toward the regular season. For Seattle, there is little risk in evaluating an experienced lineman who recently finished a championship run in the Union Football League, especially given the timing of the move just before a key preseason game against the team that just released him.
Seattle’s preseason schedule includes a return engagement with Kansas City, with the teams set to meet again in a regular-season Sunday night game later in October. The Seahawks’ regular-season opener is on September 9 against the New England Patriots, marking the start of a campaign that could feature several changes along the offensive line as Diesch and the depth group compete for potential roles.
Overall, the decision to add Diesch signals Seattle’s interest in increasing competition along the offensive line and giving the younger lineman a platform to showcase his abilities at the NFL level. The evaluation period continues as rosters are trimmed and depth is tested in advance of the regular season.
