Chiefs HC Andy Reid rules out seven injured players for preseason finale as he commits to many key starters playing vs. Bears
Kansas City Chiefs HC Andy Reid spoke about injured players and explained his preseason Week 3 decision on starter playing time.
The Kansas City Chiefs have completed their final practice session ahead of their preseason finale against the Chicago Bears on Friday, Aug. 22. It was a good day of practice with a little bit of heat outside, something closer to what the team saw at training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri.
As the team prepares for their final preseason game and their first in front of the home crowd of Arrowhead Stadium, several players are dealing with injuries that will keep them out of the game. That’s not stopping Andy Reid from moving forward with his altered preseason philosophy, in which starters will get some snaps in preseason Week 3.
Reid spoke to media members on Wednesday afternoon, ruling out seven players, commenting on two others, and explaining the reasoning behind his change in preseason plan for the starting lineup.
Chiefs will be without seven players due to injury, and possibly more
TE Jake Briningstool (hamstring), CB Nazeeh Johnson (shoulder), LB Jack Cochane (bone bruise), OT Ethan Driskell (appendectomy), S Mike Edwards (hamstring), DT Omarr Norman-Lott (ankle), and WR Jalen Royals (knee tendonitis) will not play in the preseason finale, according to Coach Reid.
“As far as the injuries go, (Jake) Briningstool will be out, (Jack) Cochrane out, (Ethan) Driskell out, Mike Edwards out, Nazeeh (Johnson), Omarr (Norman-Lott), and (Jalen) Royals (all ruled out),” Reid said.
As for CB Kristian Fulton, who recently returned from the Active/PUP list, he could see his first action of the preseason against the Bears.
“We’ll see how that rolls with him,” Reid said of Fulton. “See how he feels, and go from there.”
Reid didn’t sound quite as confident when speaking about WR Hollywood Brown, who has been sidelined by a foot/ankle injury and also just recently returned to practice.
“I’m gonna just play that by ear,” he said of Brown’s status. “I’m gonna see how it does through warm-ups and all that. We’ll just kind of go from there. This is day by day right there. I want no steps backwards on that.”
It feels like the Chiefs are trying to protect Brown and ensure his availability for Week 1 more than anything else.
Chiefs HC Andy Reid explains his decision to play starters in preseason finale vs. Bears
The injuries suffered in preseason Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks don’t seem to scare Andy Reid. He’ll be cautious, but insists that his starters on offense and defense need the work, given the proximity to their Week 1 tilt with the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil.
“Yeah, there’s just a little bit longer wait here in between this game and the next game,” Reid said. “And so, I just think I’d rather give the guys a little bit more time in this game so the timing keeps a little closer to when we get to our game.”
Friday puts the Chiefs two full weeks out from their Week 1 game, so it tracks with what Coach Reid is saying. Getting these guys into a somewhat normal rhythm and cadence ahead of the first week of the season will be pivotal in their ability to start fast.
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