KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith will be on the sidelines Sunday when they face the Jacksonville Jaguars at Arrowhead Stadium, but he won’t be the only starter out of action.
The Kansas City Chiefs work out ahead of their upcoming game against the Jacksonville Jaguars during practice at the team’s training complex on Nov. 4, 2016. (Photo by Matt Derrick, ChiefsDigest.com)
In addition to Smith, the Chiefs plan to lineup without starting running back Spencer Ware and left guard Parker Ehinger in addition to backup cornerback D.J. White.
Also questionable for Sunday: defensive lineman Jaye Howard (hip) and wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (groin). Howard practice fully Friday while Maclin was limited in action.
The absence of Ware for Sunday promotes Charcandrick West to featured back for this week. The team also signed Bishop Sankey from the practice squad of the New England Patriots Tuesday.
Coach Andy Reid expects both players to see action Sunday.
“Each one of them has got plays, we’ll just see how it rolls,” Reid said. “Charcandrick’s going to get most of them, we’ll just see how he holds up.”
Co-offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said Bishop showcased speed and fresh legs during practice this week, but compared picking up the team’s offensive playbook and verbiage to learning a different language.
“We’ll see how much he picks up,” Nagy said. “(Running backs) coach Eric Bieniemy is doing a great job with him — just hammering away at the plays and mentally getting as much as he can in practice. We’ll see what he can digest.”
Defensive lineman Jaye Howard, nursing a hip flexor injury, returned to practice Friday. But his potentially limited availability crimps the team’s defensive line rotation.
Howard played 44 snaps snaps last week, while fellow starters Dontari Poe played 82 percent of the team’s snaps and Chris Jones played 28 snaps, or 42 percent. Raheem Nunez-Roche’s played nine while Kendall Reyes picked up 3 snaps.
Linebacker Derrick Johnson (hamstring), wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (groin) and tackle Mitchell Schwartz each practiced Friday, and appear ready to play against Jacksonville.
Coach Andy Reid also said running back Jamaal Charles had the meniscus trimmed in his right knee. The coach declined to speculate if Charles could possibly return from injured reserve before the end of the season.
Reid also revealed practice squad running back Darrin Reaves tweaked his groin, which played a role in the Chiefs’ acquiring Sankey.
“It was bad timing because he’s a pretty good little player,” Reid said. “He tweaked that thing, so we didn’t have an opportunity to bring him up.”
Reid didn’t rule in or out the possibility the Chiefs might make another roster move before Sunday. The Chiefs have yet to place Ehinger on injured reserve, and the team carries as of now just two healthy running backs.
“I have no idea, man,” Reid said. “I’m just coaching the ones that are here.”
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
OUT: DE Jared Odrick
QUESTIONABLE: CB Aaron Colvin
Practice report
Did not participate in practice: DE Jared Odrick (foot/ankle)
Limited participation: CB Aaron Colvin (calf)
Full participation: LB Myles Jack (illness), RT Jeremy Parnell (calf), TE Julius Thomas (ankle) and LT Kelvin Beachum (knee)
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
OUT: QB Alex Smith, RB Spencer Ware, CB D.J. White and OL Parker Ehinger
QUESTIONABLE: DL Jaye Howard and WR Jeremy Maclin
Practice report
Did not participate in practice: LB Tamba Hali (knee), RB Spencer Ware (concussion), G Parker Ehinger (knee)
Limited participation: QB Alex Smith (head/ear), CB D.J. White (hand), WR Jeremy Maclin (groin)
Full participation: LB Derrick Johnson (hamstring), T Mitchell Schwartz (ankle), DL Jaye Howard and OL Jordan Devey (ankle)
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Matt Derrick is the lead beat writer for ChiefsDigest.com and the Topeka Capital-Journal. Use the contact page to reach him or find him on Twitter: @MattDerrick.
Follow @MattDerrick
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