Chiefs Guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif Suffers Hand Injury, Out 4-6 Weeks
Laurent Duvernay-Tardif's immediate future with the Kansas City Chiefs has been questionable throughout this offseason. After suffering a hand injury, that picture becomes even more unclear.
Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the veteran guard suffered a broken bone in his hand during practice. Rapoport adds that Duvernay-Tardif is projected to be out for between four and six weeks, although it's still possible that he plays for the team in the season-opener.
Duvernay-Tardif, who was named the Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the year for 2020, is returning to the Chiefs after opting out of last season to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. While he was away putting his medical background and talents to good use, the team suffered a series of injuries and entered the Super Bowl with a depleted offensive line. Over the course of the offseason, general manager Brett Veach worked hard to fix that.
The Chiefs boast a nearly completely new unit this season, and Duvernay-Tardif was slated to compete with rookie Trey Smith and the now unretired Kyle Long for the starting right guard role. Long suffered a leg injury earlier this offseason, putting Smith in the driver's seat early in training camp. With his elder statesmen working their way back from ailments, the job may be Smith's for the taking.
In five seasons with the Chiefs, Duvernay has started 57 games. He is currently entering the final season of his five-year contract and will hit the free agent market in 2022. If this hand injury limits him to start the season, that doesn't bode well for his future with the team. Even if he's able to return in time to play Week 1, Smith or Long may have already run with the starting gig.
Duvernay-Tardif has enjoyed a solid career with the Chiefs over the past several seasons and is one of the most well-respected players in the NFL. He has his work cut out for him even more than he did before but if he's shown one thing recently, it's that he's willing to battle.
