KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs will be without four starters from last week’s loss at Green Bay after head coach Andy Reid on Friday declared out running back Isiah Pacheco, safety Bryan Cook, left tackle Donovan Smith and linebacker Drue Tranquill.
Reid confirmed Friday that Clyde Edwards-Helaire will be the lead back on Sunday. The club also expects Jerick McKinnon back in the lineup from a groin injury, and Reid said the team will elevate rookie Deneric Prince for the game.
“We’ve got different personnel groups, but yeah, he’s the number one guy, yes,” Reid said of Edwards-Helaire. “He’s done a great job with all that. He’s a good kid, Clyde’s a good kid. And the chances he’s had to play, he’s done very well.”
Meanwhile, Wanya Smith will start at left tackle in place of Smith, who has been dealing with the effects from a stinger in his neck. Defensively, Nick Bolton expects to be activated from injured reserve to return to his spot in the lineup with Tranquill (concussion). Bolton wore a brace on his left wrist during practice this week. Mike Edwards will step into Cook’s role at safety.
Reid expressed confidence in the players stepping in to replace injured starters. He credited defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and offensive line coach Andy Heck for how they manage their squads in keeping everyone prepared to play.
“The guys that are stepping in have played so that’s a positive part of that,” Reid said. “And so it’s not new territory for them as they get in there. The way Spags rotates people, that’s happened. Then the way Andy rotates the offensive line, that works too. But anyways they’ve done, they’ve done good.”
Pacheco sustained a shoulder bruise in last week’s game against the Packers, which Reid confirmed is the same shoulder on which he had surgery during the offseason. Cook suffered a sprained ankle, and he’s a strong candidate to land on injured reserve with the return of Bolton. Landing on injured would require a player to miss four games before returning.
“We’ll see,” Reid said about whether Cook and Pacheco were candidates for injured reserve. “you know, “Both of them are kind of being evaluated right now so I’m not going to say anything on that. But we just, we have to see that.”
Chiefs Injury Report
OUT: RB Isiah Pacheco, LT Donovan Smith, LB Drue Tranquill and S Bryan Cook
Did not practice: RB Isiah Pacheco (shoulder), LT Donovan Smith (neck), LB Drue Tranquill (concussion) and S Bryan Cook (ankle)
Limited participation: None
Full participation: QB Patrick Mahomes (pectoral), RB Jerick McKinnon (groin), WR Rashee Rice (foot), WR Skyy Moore (knee), WR Kadarius Toney (hip), LB Nick Bolton (wrist/injured reserve), LB Darius Harris (wrist) and CB L’Jarius Sneed (knee).
Bills Injury Report
QUESTIONABLE: TE Dawson Know and CB Kaiir Elam
Did not practice: None
Limited participation: None
Full participation: QB Josh Allen (right shoulder), TE Dalton Kincaid (thumb), TE Dawson Knox (wrist), DE Leonard Floyd (wrist), OLB Von Miller (vet rest), CB Kaiir Elam (ankle), CB Dane Jackson (concussion) and S Taylor Rapp (neck)
