This weekend against the Bills, Kansas City anticipates missing four players, two on each side of the ball.
The Buffalo Bills are the opponents the Kansas City Chiefs will face in Week 14, and the team’s injury report hasn’t been very encouraging all week.
Friday’s practice concluded with the team releasing a roster of players who would not be playing on Sunday.
Head coach Andy Reid has announced that running back Isiah Pacheco (shoulder), offensive tackle Donovan Smith (neck), linebacker Drue Tranquill (concussion), and safety Bryan Cook (ankle) will not play this weekend. This is the same Chiefs squad that was absent from practice earlier in the week.
None of these things should be too surprising at this time.
While Reid initially labeled Cook’s frightening ankle injury against the Green Bay Packers as a sprain earlier this week, he stated on Friday that the condition is still being assessed. Cook suffered the injury on Sunday.
Pacheco, who arrived on Wednesday due to a shoulder contusion that prevented him from practicing, is in the same situation.
He underwent surgery on the same shoulder after the previous season ended. Regarding Cook or Pacheco serving as injured reserves, Reid remained evasive.
Given that Pacheco is no longer available and that Jerick McKinnon’s workload is being closely watched because of a bothersome groin problem, Clyde Edwards-Helaire is predicted to start on Sunday.
When questioned about that prospect, Reid gave him high praise. On Thursday, offensive coordinator Matt Nagy commented on how the fourth-year halfback is looking this season:
In terms of his ability to run between tackles, I believe his speed is good. He has performed incredibly well.
Even mentally, I think he has done a great job leading and mentoring the group during the changes or experiences he has had over the past few years.
When you step onto the field and are presented with opportunities, he tries to take advantage of them. It all begins there. That’s what I respect the most about him. Because running backs are frequently hit in these circumstances, you want to have a guy like Clyde who is prepared in case of an injury or if someone else is the next man up.
Since Smith is still dealing with the injury, rookie offensive tackle Wanya Morris is expected to start this week.
The Chiefs have some hope because Nick Bolton is expected to come off injured reserve and play this week, despite Tranquill still not having cleared the league’s concussion protocol.
He would be playing for the first time since Week 7. Sadly, Kansas City still has to contend with a 6-6 Bills squad that is in dire need of a victory after their bye week.
