KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs are getting their starting middle linebacker just in the nick of time.
The club activated Nick Bolton from injured reserve on Saturday, and he returns to the starting lineup at a time when backup Drue Tranquill will be out due to a concussion.
The Chiefs made room for Bolton on the 53-player roster by placing safety Bryan Cook on injured reserve. The move means Cook will miss at least the next four games due to the sprained ankle he sustained Sunday night against Green Bay.
Kansas City also elevated two players from the practice squad for Sunday’s contest against Buffalo, running back Deneric Prince and safety Deon Bush.
Bolton had surgery on his fractured wrist in October and returned to practice last week. He’s been wearing a cast on his left wrist during practice to protect it. Bolton injured the wrist in a Week 7 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, and it kept him out of the next five games. Bolton also missed three games earlier this season after spraining his ankle in Week 2 against Jacksonville.
In four games this season, Bolton tallied 28 tackles along with an interception and a pass defended. He also yielded a passer rating of just 44.2 on 10 targets.
The transactions on Saturday were expected after the Chiefs ruled four players out yesterday. Running back Isiah Pacheco (shoulder) and left tackle Donovan Smith (neck) are also out of action in addition to Cook and Tranquill.
Running Back
The elevation of Prince from the practice squad means the Chiefs will have three running backs available along with Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon, who sat out the last two games with a groin strain. Prince was elevated last week and was active on game day but didn’t take any snaps.
Head coach Andy Reid said Friday that Edwards-Helaire would be the team’s No. 1 back but also reiterated that McKinnon and Prince could see action in different substitution packages.
Prince led the team during the preseason with 22 carries and ranked second with 79 yards rushing, averaging 3.6 yards per carry. He also rushed for a score and caught three passes for 7 yards. He can also backup Richie James on kick returns if necessary.
Offensive Line
Rookie Wanya Morris is expected to make his first start Sunday in place of Smith, who has been dealing with a neck issue resulting from a stinger he first suffered in Week 11. The elevation of Morris into the starting lineup will leave the Chiefs with eight active linemen on game day with Lucas Niang as the swing tackle and Nick Allegretti and Mike Caliendo backing up on the interior.
Linebacker
Bolton’s return to the active roster leaves the Chiefs with seven linebackers on the active roster, and it’s the depth that is needed with Tranquill out with a concussion.
Bolton will return to his starting role in the middle with Willie Gay and Leo Chenal outside. Jack Cochrane will serve as Bolton’s backup and could see some limited action if the Chiefs opt to provide rest to Bolton during the game.
The Chiefs will also have available Cam Jones and Darius Harris. Jones principally plays outside but Harris can play all three positions if needed. Both players should see extensive action on special teams.
Safety
The loss of Cook may complicate the team’s defensive rotation the most of all of this week’s injuries. While Mike Edwards expects to take on the bulk of the work in the absence of Cook, it will be difficult to replace the production of Cook, who has 42 tackles on the season along with an interception, two passes broken up, two fumble recoveries and a touchdown.
The question is whether the Chiefs will be able to play as much dime defense with six defensive backs and three safeties on the field without Cook. Rookie Chamarri Conner has played 98 snaps on the season, and he’s only lined up twice at free safety — his 96 other snaps have all been on the line of scrimmage, at slot corner or in the box. His only two free safety snaps did come last week after Cook exited the game.
Bush will help replace the snaps lost on special without Cook and with Edwards playing an expanded role on defense. Cook and Edwards combine to average 17 snaps per game on special teams, and Bush is a four-phase veteran.
