Chiefs’ Sammy Watkins among 4 players not practicing ahead of Week 6’s game vs. Bills
The Chiefs begin the week of preparations without four starters for Monday’s game against the Buffalo Bills.
Wide receiver Sammy Watkins (hamstring), linebacker Anthony Hitchens (illness), fullback Anthony Sherman (reserve/COVID-19 list) and left guard Kelechi Osemele (knees) won’t practice Thursday, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid announced.
Watkins, who played for Buffalo from 2014-16, suffered a hamstring injury against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5 and did not finish the game.
While hamstring injuries can be tricky depending on severity, the Chiefs aren’t anticipating placing Watkins on injured reserve, a scenario that would require the wide receiver to miss at least three games.
“With Sammy, I don’t think that’s what it is,” Reid said. “I think we’re just going to let him heal up and take it from there.”
The Chiefs are likely to lean on a pair of second-year pros to fill in while Watkins is on the mend. Mecole Hardman should be the first player up with Byron Pringle in reserve alongside starters Tyreek Hill and Demarcus Robinson.
Hitchens, who briefly left Week 5’s game with a hand injury, appears to be dealing with an illness that isn’t related to coronavirus.
“Not COVID, as we know it,” Reid said. “He’s still testing and all, but he’s just sick.”
Linebackers Damien Wilson, rookie Willie Gay Jr., Ben Niemann, Dorian O’Daniel and Darius Harris provide adequate depth with Hitchens temporarily down.
The Chiefs earlier in the week placed Sherman on the reserve/COVID-19 list after he was exposed to someone who tested positive. Reid said Sherman continues to go through the protocol.
As for Osemele, the Chiefs project to be without him for an undetermined amount of time.
The veteran offensive lineman suffered torn tendons in both knees in the first quarter of Week 5’s game. Reid said the Chiefs are exploring medical options before making a determination if season-ending surgery is required.
“They’re working all that out with the doctors and just making sure that they evaluate it and what he can do and can’t do from here,” Reid said. “I mean, it’s a process, right?
“It doesn’t happen very often where somebody has two injuries at the same time like that. Nothing has been decided yet, so they’re working through all that.”
Reid said Monday that veteran offensive lineman Mike Remmers would take Osemele’s spot with the starting front five.
The Chiefs listed Hill (heel), Hardman (ankle), defensive tackle Chris Jones (groin), tackle Eric Fisher (shoulder), tight end Nick Keizer (shoulder), defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi (ankle), cornerback Rashad Fenton (shoulder), cornerback Charvarius Ward (hand) and center Austin Reiter (knee) as full participants.
This story was originally published October 15, 2020 at 1:43 PM.
