Chiefs Update Injury Status of Chris Jones, Rule Out Two Starters vs. Broncos

The Kansas City Chiefs' season will begin on Monday night, but they'll be without two key starters, while one superstar player's status has some new clarity for the team's primetime season-opener.

Defensive tackle Chris Jones was a limited participant in Friday's practice due to a calf injury that had not previously been seen on the injury report. On Saturday, head coach Andy Reid shed some light on Jones' injury and expected status for Monday's game.

"I think he'll be alright," Reid said regarding Jones, according to Nate Taylor of ESPN.

Reid said that Jones was held out of Saturday's practice due to calf tightness and that Jones was sidelined as a precautionary measure.

In a video shared by Matt Derrick of Chiefs Digest, Jones can be seen wearing a compression sleeve on his left calf while stretching with the team before Saturday's practice.

Chiefs DT Chris Jones was on the field for stretch on Saturday, but didn’t see a helmet in his possession. We’ll get an update from Andy Reid around 1 p.m. on what limited him Friday with his calf. pic.twitter.com/H4FHsJTGCt
— Matt Derrick (@mattderrick) September 12, 2026

Reid also delivered the final word regarding left tackle Josh Simmons (back) and starting safety Chamarri Conner (knee), ruling both players out for the Chiefs' 2026 debut. Neither player had practiced this week, and Reid indicated that Simmons and Conner were unlikely to play early this week.

Potentially starting in Simmons' spot, Reid expressed confidence in undrafted rookie lineman Kahlil Benson, who could get his first NFL action at left tackle after spending his entire collegiate career on the right side of the offensive line.

"We're comfortable with Kahlil on either side," Reid said on Tuesday. "I mean, he's been playing the left side, so we feel comfortable with that. We'll see. We'll end up playing the five best guys, and right now, he's one of them."

Conner's absence is also a significant one for Steve Spagnuolo's defense. Conner led the team in defensive snaps taken in 2025, playing more than 98% of the available reps, according to Pro Football Reference. Veteran safety Alohi Gilman was one of the team's top free agent signings this offseason, but his acquisition offset the loss of Bryan Cook, who signed with the Cincinnatti Bengals in free agency. Without Conner, the Chiefs have four other safeties listed on their unofficial depth chart: Gilman, Jaden Hicks, Chris Roland-Wallace and undrafted rookie Xavier Nwankpa.

Roland-Wallace projects to see plenty of action as the nickel defender/slot corner this season, but Conner's injury could entice Spagnuolo to leave Roland-Wallace in more true safety looks, which could put veteran cornerback L'Jarius Sneed in the slot more often. Alternatively, Week 1 could bring a significant opportunity for Hicks, who played the third-most snaps among Chiefs safeties and sixth-most snaps among all Chiefs defensive backs last season.

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