The Kansas City Chiefs look like they’ll be shorthanded on the right side of the offensive line for “Sunday Night Football” against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Reid ruled out both Lucas Niang and Mike Remmers. Neither player practiced this week, with Niang dealing with a rib injury and Remmers dealing with swelling in his knee. Both players have earned starts at the right tackle position so far this season, but last week when Niang left with injury it was Andrew Wylie who filled in. The team could be looking at a start from Wylie this week with both Niang and Remmers ruled out.
Two players returned to practice this week for Kansas City, with Clyde Edwards-Helaire being designated to return from injured reserve and Kyle Long opening his practice window from the Reserve/PUP list. Andy Reid was encouraged by what he saw from each player, but he didn’t seem too confident that either would be activated to the 53-man roster this week.
“Yeah, no listen, he looked good,” Reid said of Edwards-Helaire. “He worked hard. It’s kind of just getting back into the flow of things. So, that’s where we’re at. He did a nice job with it.”
Asked directly whether Edwards-Helaire would be activated for Sunday, Reid left the possibility open, but also said it would be “a stretch.”
“Yeah, we’ll see,” Reid said. “He worked all week. I would tell you that it’s probably a stretch, just to throw that out there to you, but if he does don’t hold me accountable on that.”
Speaking on Long, Reid suggested he was in the same boat as Edwards-Helaire this week.
“He did kind of the same thing as Clyde (Edwards-Helaire),” Reid said of Long. “He worked in there. He rotated in with the offensive linemen. It’s just a matter of making sure he’s in good football shape. The same type of deal.”
If Long is anywhere close to ready to play, the Chiefs might not have much of a choice but to activate him given their injuries on the right side of the offensive line. The Raiders have a potent pass rush with over 80 pressures between Maxx Crosby and Yannick Ngakoue. They’ll need all the help they can get to keep Mahomes clean in the pocket.
[listicle id=109870]