KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs got one piece of good news on Thursday with safety Tyrann Matheiu a full participant in the final tuneup before Saturday's preseason game against San Francisco, but the jury remains out on the status of defensive end Breeland Speaks.
Speaks sustained a knee injury last Saturday in the team's 17-7 preseason loss at Pittsburgh. Speaks observed practice from the sidelines this week, and head coach Andy Reid said the team is still evaluating the injury.
“We're having him meet with some doctors here, just checking that thing out and kind of letting it calm down and see where we're at,” Reid said. But the head coach declined to elaborate on the details of the injury or a suspected diagnosis.
"Some of it's the swelling,” he said. “I can't tell you the whole thing because I'm a coach."
The news was much better for Mathieu, who was a partial participant in practice earlier in the week. Despite the fact Mathieu played just four snaps in the team's first two preseason games, Reid sees no reason to be too aggressive with the safety's banged-up shoulder.
“I'm being a little bit cautious with that,” Reid said. “Getting him ready for the season, we'll see about Saturday night. He might be a guy that we end up sitting down Saturday night.”
Four other Chiefs did not practice this week and will not play Saturday night against the 49ers. That group includes wide receiver Gehrig Dieter (back), tight end Deon Yelder, tight end/full back John Lovett (shoulder) and cornerback Michael Hunter (groin).
Reid doesn't have a set plan for the use of his starters and the process of working in substitutions. The starters may play much of the first half as substitutes begin working in with second- and third-team players entering as the coaches see fit.
“This isn't a game where everybody has to play,” Reid said.
