ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — One day after Nazeeh Johnson went down with a knee injury during a training camp practice, the Chiefs placed the second-year cornerback on injured reserve with a torn ACL.
Johnson had been battling for the third cornerback spot behind starters L’Jarius Sneed and Trent McDuffie, and his loss will be felt in the secondary and on special teams, head coach Andy Reid said.
“Nazeeh was playing good football,” Reid said. “We’ve got some other guys that can play there. But he’s a good special teams player and he’s a good corner. He’s really developed over the years. It’s too bad that it happened. He’s got a good attitude about it and he’ll get back when he can get back.”
Second-year cornerback Joshua Williams took Johnson’s role with the No. 1 defense Sunday, rotating in as the third cornerback in nickel packages on the right side opposite Sneed with McDuffie in the slot.
Williams, who entered the league with Johnson as teammates last season, described him as one of his closest friends in the locker room.
“It hurt to see that,” Williams said. “I used it as motivation. I spoke to him when it happened later, and I spoke to him this morning. He’s just telling me, use him as inspiration, and that’s what I tried to do.”
The club also placed undrafted rookie free agent Isaiah Moore on injured reserve. The former North Carolina State linebacker requires surgery on his injured knee, Reid said.
The Chiefs filled the two roster spots with the signing of cornerback Anthony Witherstone, a rookie free agent from Merrimack who originally signed with the club following the draft, and tight end Izaiah Gathings, a rookie free agent who spent time with the New York Jets during the offseason.
Gathings provides depth at the tight end position with Jody Fortson dealing with a shoulder injury. Fortson’s shoulder popped out of place during practice Friday, Reid said.
“They were able to get it back in, now it’s just a matter of time to let that thing relax,” Reid said. “They were able to get back in, now it’s just a matter of time to let that thing relax. He’s still working out and all but just favoring that shoulder obviously.”
Witherstone was one of 16 college free agents signed by the club following this year’s NFL Drat. The 6-foot, 189-pound Witherstone yielded a passer rating of just 76 during his last two seasons at the NCAA FCS level. The club waived Witherstone June 15 with the signing of receiver Keokoa Crawford.
Gathings finished his college career at Middle Tennessee State where he caught 84 passes for 861 yards and three touchdowns in 24 games over the past two seasons.
In addition to Fortson, other Chiefs not practicing Sunday morning included running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (illness), defensive end Mike Danna (calf), wide receiver Kadarius Toney (knee) and defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton (knee/physically unable to perform list. Defensive tackle Chris Jones has yet to report to camp.
Toney, who underwent surgery for a torn meniscus last Tuesday, “is making progress,” Reid said.
