Chiefs’ L’Jarius Sneed has ‘good chance’ to return in Week 11, but Schwartz out again
The Chiefs’ preparations for Sunday evening’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders might include their 2020 NFL Draft fourth-round pick.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid on Friday sounded highly optimistic that cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, who is eligible to be elevated from injured reserve to the active 53-player roster, would be available in Week 11.
“There’s a good chance he’s up,” Reid said. “He’s looked good and moving around pretty good, actually. We’ll see how he does and how many plays and all that, but there’s a pretty good chance he’s up.”
Sneed suffered a shoulder injury in Week 3 and landed on injured reserve. The Chiefs on Nov. 4 designated him as return from injured reserve, which opened the 21-day window for the team to decide whether to activate Sneed or leave him on IR.
When healthy, Sneed proved highly efficient as a starter at the right cornerback spot while Bashaud Breeland served a four-game suspension to start the season. He started three games and totaled 11 tackles, two interceptions and three passes defensed. And despite missing five games, Sneed’s two interceptions remain tied for the team lead with safeties Tyrann Mathieu and Daniel Sorensen.
Sneed’s return would give the Chiefs a full complement at the cornerback position for the first time this season. Breeland missed the first four games, while Charvarius Ward didn’t play in Week 2 after fracturing his left hand in the season opener.
If the Chiefs elect to activate Sneed, the move will in all likelihood occur Saturday, the day before the team takes on the Raiders in Las Vegas.
In other injury-related news, the Chiefs listed right tackle Mitchell Schwartz (back) and defensive end Taco Charlton (ankle) as out for Sunday night.
Charlton’s designation is a formality, as he suffered a fractured ankle in Week 9 and has yet to be placed on injured reserve. Schwartz, who recently returned after spending three days on the reserve/COVID-19 list, hasn’t played or practiced since Week 6.
Mike Remmers, who has started the last three games in Schwartz’s place, is listed as questionable with a rib injury despite putting in a full practice Friday. If Remmers can’t play Sunday, the Chiefs are likely to turn to rookie Yasir Durant, a Missouri Tigers product who played 12 snaps at right tackle when Remmers briefly exited Week 9’s game.
The Chiefs list wide receiver Sammy Watkins (hamstring, calf) as questionable. Watkins hasn’t played since suffering a hamstring injury in Week 5. He practiced fully Wednesday but was limited Thursday and Friday.
The Chiefs would be thin at wide receiver if Watkins can’t play Sunday, because Mecole Hardman remains on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Running backs Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Darrel Williams, both of whom didn’t practice Thursday while dealing with illnesses, returned to full practice Friday. Neither player carries an assigned game-day designation, meaning each should be available for a normal workload.
Starting left tackle Eric Fisher, who returned Thursday from the reserve/COVID-19 list, practiced fully for the second straight day Friday and is also available for Sunday’s game.
Raiders defensive tackle Maurice Hurst (ankle) and running back Jalen Richard (chest) are officially listed as questionable. Hurst put in a limited practice Friday, while Richard missed all three days of on-field work this week.
This story was originally published November 20, 2020 at 3:27 PM.
