Chiefs practice Wednesday without starting tackles ahead of Sunday’s game vs. Saints
The Chiefs begin the week of preparations with issues on the offensive line ahead of Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints.
Starting left tackle Eric Fisher (back) and right tackle Mike Remmers (back, neck) did not practice Wednesday.
While it is unclear on the severity of Fisher’s ailment, Remmers suffered a back injury in Week 14 and did not finish the game against the Miami Dolphins. His status places the Chiefs in a bad spot because he was already filling in for Mitchell Schwartz, who landed on injured reserve in late November with his own back injury.
Schwartz is eligible to return to practice after spending the past three weeks on injured reserve, but Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said earlier Wednesday that Schwartz is not practicing. Whenever Schwartz is designated as return to practice, he would remain on injured reserve while the Chiefs evaluate him before determining whether to activate him to the 53-player roster or shut him down for the season.
The Chiefs are suddenly thin at the bookend positions if they have to play without Fisher and Remmers. The options behind the two tackles could fall on Yasir Durant, an undrafted rookie out of Missouri who filled in for Remmers in Week 14, and perhaps Martinas Rankin, who can play tackle and guard.
Fisher and Remmers weren’t the only two players to miss practice.
Starting linebacker Damien Wilson continues to miss work with a knee injury suffered in Week 13. Wilson missed all three days of practices leading to Week 14’s game against the Dolphins and didn’t play.
The Chiefs listed Rankin (knee), wide receiver Tyreek Hill (hamsting), defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi (ankle), defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon (hip), defensive end Alex Okafor (knee), tight end Nick Keizer (ankle, knee) and center Austin Reiter (knee) as full participants.
Reid said wide receiver Byron Pringle, who remains on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, returned to practice Wednesday. Pringle is a candidate to be activated in time for Sunday’s game and the Chiefs have an open spot on the roster after waiving wide receiver Marcus Kemp on Tuesday.
For the Saints, wide receiver Michael Thomas (ankle), defensive tackle Malcom Brown (shoulder, calf), guard Nick Easton (concussion), defensive tackle Malcolm Roach (illness), wide receiver/returner Deonte Harris and Tommylee Lewis (illness) did not practice.
Right tackle Ryan Ramczyk (elbow), defensive end Marcus Davenport and guard Andrus Peat (foot) were limited.
This story was originally published December 16, 2020 at 4:02 PM.
