Chiefs Injury Updates Ahead of Week 6 Game Against Bills
The Kansas City Chiefs have a huge game against the Buffalo Bills coming up on Sunday, and the team has a lengthy injury report heading into the matchup.
Following Thursday's practice, a whopping 14 Chiefs appeared on the team's injury report. That was without rookie cornerback Trent McDuffie, whose practice window from his stint on the injured reserve list required him to not have any official designation. The good news for Kansas City is that of those 14 players, all but four of them were full participants in practice on Thursday. That was widely viewed as an extremely positive sign heading into Friday.
On Friday afternoon, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid took the podium after practice and provided some injury updates on his players. The big names to watch for Kansas City on Friday were kicker Harrison Butker, safety Bryan Cook, cornerback Rashad Fenton, defensive end Frank Clark, defensive lineman Mike Danna and then McDuffie. Judging by Reid's comments, the Chiefs will be in a mixed bag of a spot for Week 6. The trio of Cook, Fenton and defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton are out on Sunday.
Throughout the week, optimism built regarding the playing status of both Butker and McDuffie. Butker, who sprained his ankle in Week 1's win over the Arizona Cardinals, had practiced just one time (since his injury) heading into this week and received a positive review from special teams coordinator Dave Toub on Wednesday. Defensive backs coach Dave Merritt was hopeful about McDuffie on Thursday, but he reiterated that Reid would have the ultimate decision later in the week. On Friday, Reid said there's a "good chance" Kansas City rests McDuffie against Buffalo despite his progress. Butker, however, is expected to play.
Per Nate Taylor of The Athletic, Clark and Danna were spotted out at practice in some capacity during Friday's open portion. Elsewhere for the Chiefs, having players such as Chris Lammons and right guard Trey Smith be full participants in practice by the end of the week was a massive step in the right direction. Lammons is one of Toub's top special teams players and Smith's absence was felt during the Chiefs' Week 5 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. After missing Weeks 3, 4 and 5, Danna is slated to potentially return for Kansas City and be a key depth piece along defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's defensive line.
