KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Defensive end Charles Omenihu is another step closer to making his Chiefs’ debut after the club added him to the 53-player roster following his six-game suspension starting the season.
The Chiefs had a roster exemption for Omenihu that expired at 3 p.m. central time Saturday. He appears ready to play Sunday after a full week of practice, as does wide receiver Mecole Hardman who was acquired midweek via trade with the New York Jets. Head coach Andy Reid said Friday that both players appear ready to go against the Chargers.
“We’ll see,” Reid said. “I’m thinking it’s going in that direction. They did a nice job.”
Omenihu started the season with a six-game suspension under the league’s personal conduct policy stemming from his arrest in January for suspicion of domestic violence.
The 26-year-old Omenihu signed a two-year, $16 million free-agent contract with the Chiefs in March. He played in all three preseason games with a total of 67 snaps while tallying three tackles, a sack and three quarterback hits. Reid said Omenihu brings even more versatility to a well-rounded defensive line group.
“He’s another one that can play inside and outside,” Reid said. “And it gives you flexibility there. He’s good at both. So again, you can work different combinations with that. But he’s definitely somebody you have to look at. If I’m game-planning against him, I’m going top know where he’s at. He’s a good football player.”
Sunday’s game also should mark the return of Hardman to the Kansas City lineup. The 25-year-old signed a free-agent deal in March with the Jets but returned to the club this week after the trade. Hardman’s last appearance for the Chiefs came in last season’s AFC Championship, where the injured receiver gritted his way with two catches for 10 yards and two rushes for 7 yards. He converted two third downs in the game, including a third-and-4 midway through the third quarter that kept alive a touchdown scoring drive that put the Chiefs on top of the Bengals 20-13. Hardman suffered a torn groin on the play that kept him out of Super Bowl LVII.
“He did a great job for us in the championship game, I think it was, had one of the bigger plays there,” Reid said. “Just for him to push through that. He’s not the biggest guy. But you see it you know when he carries the ball, he’s fearless that way. Good or bad, He’s fearless that way. Right? And so you know he’s a tough kid, but he did, he push through that, wanted to play. He was adamant about that, and you know, it ended up tearing on him there.
“He got it fixed and he’s ripping and ready to go now.”
Hardman also brings experience to a young receivers group that is still finding it’s footing nearly midway through the season.
“(He’s somebody that knows the system, knows the offense and kind of understands our roles here,” Reid said. “And then he’s also a talented player. So good to have him back in the mix. We’ll see where it goes.”
The Chiefs cleared roster space for Omenihu and Hardman Thursday by waiving wide receiver Montrell Washington and defensive tackle Keondre Coburn, who was claimed by the Denver Broncos Friday. Washington cleared waivers and officially re-signed with Kansas City practice squad, as was first reported Friday by Chiefs Digest.
