The Kansas City Chiefs worked out Ottawa Redblacks CB Brandin Dandridge last Friday, and now he’s set to sign a reserve/future contract with the team.
Dandridge was unable to sign with the team immediately as Canadian Football League contracts for 2021 don’t expire until February 8. In some cases, players need to be released from their contracts in order to sign with NFL teams. Dandridge was released from his CFL contract on Monday under the guise of pursuing opportunities in the NFL.
CFL reporter Justin Dunk broke the news that Dandridge would be signing with the Chiefs. Dandridge has since confirmed to Chiefs Wire that he’s signing a reserve/future deal.
The Chiefs are very familiar with Dandridge, who attended Blue Springs South High School in Blue Springs, Missouri and Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri. Naturally, Dandridge grew up rooting for the local NFL team.
“I moved to Lee’s Summit when I was 12,” Dandridge told Chiefs Wire. “When I first got here I thought it was just cool to have an actual NFL team right down the street. I’m originally born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa. As time went on I think the Chiefs started to grow on me and I always thought to myself it would be a dream to have an opportunity to put on that helmet.”
Dandridge will now have an opportunity to live out that dream with the Chiefs. Back in 2019, Dandridge was among 40 players at the team’s local pro day, but he didn’t get the opportunity to go through the workout with the team at the time due to injury.
“So, I was coming off a knee injury in 2019 so I was unable to perform at the local day and my pro day as well,” Dandridge said. “The team pretty much told me I needed to get healthy.”
Dandridge first got that opportunity to prove he was healthy in 2019 when he appeared in four games with the Redblacks. In 2021, Dandridge played in 8-of-14 games and tied for the second-most interceptions in the CFL with four, including three interceptions in consecutive games. He felt that his most recent season was a reflection of his return to full health.
“Yes definitely,” Dandridge said. “I still feel that my game is evolving and that I have so much more to learn.”
In Kansas City, Dandridge will have a chance to learn and compete in a secondary that is bound to see some changes for the 2022 NFL season. He could also see some work as a punt returner, as he received First-Team All-MIAA in 2018 with the Missouri Western after returning 19 punts for 240 yards and a touchdown. Most importantly, the Chiefs are getting a player who is motivated and determined to show he has what it takes.
“Chiefs Kingdom is getting a guy that’s hungry and ready to work,” Dandridge said. “I’m going to put everything I got into this off-season.”
