Chiefs’ Eric Fisher, Mecole Hardman headline list of players not practicing Wednesday
The Chiefs’ dealings with the reserve/COVID-19 list in the past week will affect the first on-field work ahead of Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said Wednesday morning that left tackle Eric Fisher, wide receiver Mecole Hardman and backup offensive lineman Martinas Rankin are not available for practice.
Fisher landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday after being exposed to someone who tested positive, according to multiple reports. The Chiefs placed Rankin on the list along with Fisher and right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, while Hardman landing on the list during last week’s bye.
Reid appeared to indicate the reason for Schwartz’s absence at practice was because of the back injury.
Schwartz aside, the remaining players’ availability for Sunday’s game will depend on how they work through the NFL’s COVID-19 protocol process and if they are cleared.
In the case of Fisher, who is in his eighth season and knows the offense, potentially missing a full week of practice before he’s cleared might not affect his playing status against the Raiders.
“Listen, I’m just going to take it day by day,” Reid said. “We’ll see how that goes, how he feels and everything else. Have I done that before? I’ve done that, yes, with guys, but we’ll just see how everything works out.”
Reid further stated that defensive end Taco Charlton, who fractured his ankle in Week 9, and rookie cornerback BoPete Keyes won’t practice Wednesday.
“He’s sick,” Reid said of Keyes. “Looks like stomach, a virus.”
While the Chiefs will begin work this week without a starting left tackle, a starting right tackle, a backup offensive lineman and a core special teams contributor, the team is welcoming back a member of the defensive line rotation.
Reid said defensive end Alex Okafor, who landed on injured reserve on Oct. 24 with a hamstring injury, will be back to work Wednesday.
This typically signals the Chiefs have designated Okafor to return to practice while still on injured reserve. Such a move would open a 21-day window is not open for the Chiefs to either activate Okafor to the 53-player roster or leave him on injured reserve.
Reid didn’t provide an update on wide receiver Sammy Watkins, who hasn’t played since suffering a hamstring injury in Week 5. But that’s normally a sign that a player will get in some work.
The Chiefs later released the injury report, which showed Watkins was a full participant in practice along with defensive tackle Chris Jones (groin), center Austin Reiter (knee), defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi (ankle), defensive tackle Khalen Saunders (elbow) and cornerback Antonio Hamilton (hamstring).
Offensive lineman Mike Remmers, who has filled in at right tackle in place of Schwartz since Week 6, was limited with a rib injury. Cornerback Rashad Fenton, who suffered an ankle injury in Week 9, was also limited.
This story was originally published November 18, 2020 at 1:33 PM.
