KeiVarae Russell to Bengals: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction

The Cincinnati Bengals reportedly claimed cornerback KeiVarae Russell off waivers from the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday.

Rand Getlin of GQ first reported the news. Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com confirmed the roster move, which required the Bengals to release offensive lineman Trey Hopkins.

The Chiefs, who drafted Russell in the third round of April's NFL draft, unexpectedly released him on Wednesday. It's rare for a franchise to give up on a high draft selection one week into the regular season, so it doesn't come as a surprise that another team claimed him on the waiver wire.

The 22-year-old Notre Dame product is a natural cornerback with intriguing athleticism and playmaking ability. However, his lack of size—he's only 5'11'' in an era when teams are seeking taller, physical players at the position—has raised questions about a potential move to safety.

Russell understood he had more to prove upon arriving in the NFL than most players. Notre Dame suspended him in 2014 following allegations of academic misconduct, which forced him to leave school while waiting for reinstatement, which he received in 2015.

He told Ashley Scoby of the Kansas City Star in May that it's his job to show the issue was a one-time setback:

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People know me as a charismatic, energy guy. Now during that time, are you still that person? Is it a mistake or is it a character issue? That was the one thing I wanted to show everybody. Yeah, I made a mistake. But I'm still this charismatic, this hard-working and ambitious kid that's gonna make it through tough, good, anything — I'm still gonna be this person and I'm not gonna change.

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The Bengals secondary features Adam Jones, Dre Kirkpatrick and Darqueze Dennard at corner, which means Russell will likely be limited to dime packages. There are questions behind George Iloka and Shawn Williams at safety, however, so Russell could begin getting work there.

First, Russell must grasp the playbook, which is something he told Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star was a struggle with the Chiefs, calling it "tough mentally." Now Russell's back to square one, so he probably won't receive much playing time in the immediate aftermath of the team change.