The Kansas City Chiefs have announced that they claimed rookie free agent tight end Leroy Banks off waivers, and signed former Kansas State defensive lineman Jeffrey Fitzgerald and former Akron defensive back Andre Jones to undisclosed contracts.

Banks (6-3, 240) caught 34 passes for 462 yards and 3 touchdowns during his two-year career at Southern Mississippi. A second-team All-Conference USA selection following the 2009 season, Banks ran a 4.66 time in the 40-yard dash and posted a 37" vertical leap at his pro day on March 22.

Fitzgerald played one season at Kansas State after spending his first two seasons at the University of Virginia. The 6-4, 280-pound defensive end totaled 40 tackles and 7 quarterbacks in his one season for the Wildcats, and was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection. In his red-shirt freshman season at UVA, Fitzgerald started 12 games opposite current St. Louis Rams defensive end Chris Long. Fitzgerald led the Cavaliers with six quarterback sacks and was a freshman All-American selection.

Academic issues forced Fitzgerald to transfer, and he was arrested for a DUI last June.

The 5-11, 180-pound Jones played wide receiver and defensive back at the University of Akron, but the Chiefs are listing him as a defensive back. Jones started at free safety his first two seasons, and served as a fill-in cornerback during his last two years. Overall, Jones totaled 183 tackles and four interceptions.

In his first season at wide receiver, Jones earned third-team All-MAC honors after catching 47 passes for 678 yards and 7 touchdowns. Last season, Jones caught 33 passes for 553 yards and four touchdowns. Jones returned kicks throughout his college career, leading the MAC in punt return average in 2007 (14.5 yards per return).