With Chris Lammons missing another practice, KC Chiefs mulling options for gunner role
The Chiefs’ practice report for Thursday looked a lot like Wednesday’s.
Cornerback Chris Lammons (left high-ankle sprain) was the lone player who couldn’t participate in on-field work, the Chiefs announced Thursday.
Lammons, one of the Chiefs’ standout players on special teams, was injured against the Denver Broncos on Sunday night and could not finish that game. His absence will be felt on punt coverage if he can’t play Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium.
“He’s a four-phase starter,” Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub said. “Obviously, he’s our starting gunner, plays a lot of important spots for us. We’ll have to look and see who we have on the roster, No. 1, and then maybe pull somebody up from the practice squad, possibly.”
One practice squad option is cornerback Josh Jackson, a 2018 second-round pick with the Green Bay Packers.
Jackson, who played his college football at Iowa, was traded to the New York Giants in August before being waived. The Chiefs signed him to their practice squad in late October, and there’s a chance he could see his first action in a Chiefs uniform in Sunday’s noon game.
“He’s definitely one of the guys we’re looking at,” Toub said. “We’ll talk ... but he’s definitely a possibility. (Dicaprio) Bootle is a possibility. It’s going to be a corner spot, if you think about it that way. You could go safety, but we’ll see.”
Chiefs cornerback Rashad Fenton (knee) and rookie tackle Lucas Niang (ribs) were expected to practice in some capacity Thursday. Both players were limited Wednesday, and the Chiefs’ official injury report showed the same status for Thursday.
Niang, injured in Week 9, has missed three straight games. Fenton, hurt in Week 11, was inactive Sunday night against Denver.
Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones (calf), safety Juan Thornhill (glute), cornerback Mike Hughes (calf) and fullback Mike Burton (pectoral) practiced fully for a second straight day.
For the Raiders, tight end Darren Waller (knee, back), defensive end Carl Nassib (knee), linebacker Patrick Onwasor (hamstring), linebacker Denzel Perryman (ankle) and defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (not injury-related, rest) did not practice.
Defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson (back), linebacker Marquel Lee (ribs) and linebacker Cory Littleton (shoulder) were limited.
Running back Josh Jacobs (ankle), safety Johnathan Abram (thumb), defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins (groin), cornerback Nate Hobbs (knee) and fullback Sutton Smith (quad, ankle) practiced fully Thursday.
This story was originally published December 9, 2021 at 1:04 PM.
