Chiefs vs Bucs Preseason: Four Kansas City Players Likely to Sit

In today's preseason matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, head coach Andy Reid has already ruled out several key players from the contest. Superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes remains sidelined, while other starters like Josh Simmons, Trey Smith, and Ashton Gillotte have already been ruled out with their respective injuries.

However, unlike the regular season, there is no official injury report for preseason games, leaving fans to speculate about who will suit up and who won't. But by following the team's recent practice trends and injury situations, we can get a pretty good idea of who may be unavailable.

Here are four Chiefs who haven't been ruled out but are unlikely to see much action, if any, today.

4. CB L'Jarius Sneed

After returning to the Chiefs for a second stint late in the offseason, Sneed has been dealing with a knee issue that has limited him throughout training camp. He missed the preseason opener and could be held out again today as the coaching staff takes a cautious approach.

Rookie first-round pick Mansoor Delane is another corner whose status is up in the air. He was finally cleared for full contact during padded practices earlier this week, but the Chiefs may still be hesitant to throw him into game action right away.

3. TE Travis Kelce

Unlike the other players on this list, Kelce's potential absence isn't injury-related. The coaching staff is simply easing his workload as he enters his age-37 season.

Kelce played just three snaps in last year's preseason and sat out last week's opener, so there's little reason to believe he'll suddenly see significant action today. Given his importance to the offense, the Chiefs will likely continue prioritizing his health over preseason reps.

2. LB Drue Tranquill

Tranquill missed the Chiefs' first preseason game because of lingering back spasms that began bothering him two weeks ago. Linebackers Jeffrey Bassa and Jack Cochrane have received additional work in his absence.

There has been no indication that Tranquill's injury will keep him out of Week 1, but the coaching staff has little reason to rush him back for a preseason contest. Don't expect to see him on the field today.

1. WR Xavier Worthy

Both of Kansas City's top receivers sat out last week, although their situations are quite different. Rashee Rice is on track to receive at least some work today after dressing but not appearing in the preseason opener.

Worthy's shoulder sprain, however, appears to be more concerning. The speedy wideout dealt with shoulder issues last season and admitted they hampered him throughout the 2025 campaign. With him dealing with a similar issue again, it's difficult to imagine the Chiefs risking his Week 1 availability for a handful of preseason snaps.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google