Justin Houston, Eric Berry and Mitch Morse again inactive for Chiefs

Chiefs starting outside linebacker Justin Houston and starting center Mitch Morse are inactive for Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium.

The Chiefs (6-1) also listed safety Eric Berry as inactive for the eighth time this season. Running back Darrel Williams, outside linebacker Nate Orchard, offensive lineman Kahlil McKenzie and defensive lineman Justin Hamilton round out out the inactives.

Houston, who had three sacks in the first four games of the season, has not played since sustaining a hamstring injury in a win against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 7. He’s bee inactive for the previous two games.

Morse, the starting center, missed last week’s game after suffering a concussion against the New England Patriots in Week 6, and he did not participant in practice this week. He was the second starting offensive lineman to go down with an injury this season after starting right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif suffered a broken leg which forced him onto injured reserve (IR).

Chiefs coach Andy Reid said on Friday that Austin Reiter would start at center in Morse’s place.

Berry, who hasn’t played the 2017 season opener, hasn’t participated in practice since training camp in August due to a heel injury. The All-Pro safety has been around the team regularly and the Chiefs maintain that he’s been progressing, physically, toward a return, though there have been no tangible signs of that publicly.

Orchard has not been active since signing with the Chiefs on Oct. 9, in the aftermath of injuries to outside linebackers Tanoh Kpassagnon and Houston.

McKenzie, a rookie sixth-round draft pick who the Chiefs have converted from defensive line to offensive line, and Williams have been inactive each game this season.

The Chiefs placed offensive lineman Jordan Devey (pectoral muscle tear) and linebacker Terrance Smith (ACL tear) on injured reserve last week.

The Broncos (3-4) listed running back Royce Freeman, safety Darian Stewart, wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton, offensive lineman Jared Veldheer, linebacker Alexander Johnson, linebacker Shane Ray and offensive lineman Nico Falah as inactive Sunday.

Freeman, a rookie who has been out with an ankle injury, has rushed for 309 yards this season. He rushed for 67 yards on eight carries against the Chiefs earlier this month.

Lynn Worthy

Lynn Worthy covers the Kansas City Chiefs and NFL for The Star.

This story was originally published October 28, 2018 at 10:58 AM.