It looks unlikely Chiefs rookie Trent McDuffie will play Sunday vs. Bills. Here’s why
The Chiefs apparently won’t have help on the way at the cornerback position for Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Rookie Trent McDuffie, who remains on injured reserve, practiced the past three days and impressed Chiefs coach Andy Reid.
But it doesn’t sound like the Chiefs are ready to activate the 2022 first-round draft pick to their 53-player roster.
“I’d probably lean the other way,” Reid said Friday. “I’d probably just rest him up this week. He had a good week of practice this week, but there’s a good chance we rest him up.”
McDuffie hurt his hamstring in Week 1 and landed on injured reserve on Sept. 13. The rookie’s 21-day window opened Wednesday when the Chiefs designated him to return from injured reserve.
While the Chiefs could elect to use the entire 21-day span, McDuffie is eligible to return as soon as Sunday’s game, but Reid’s comments suggest otherwise.
McDuffie’s potential absence would be a blow to the Chiefs’ defense.
Reid said cornerback Rashad Fenton (hamstring), defensive lineman Tershawn Wharton (knee) and rookie safety Bryan Cook (concussion) would not play against the Bills.
The Chiefs suddenly find themselves perilously thin at cornerback with Fenton out and McDuffie unlikely to return this week. Healthy cornerbacks on the active 53-man roster include L’Jarius Sneed, Chris Lammons and rookies Jaylon Watson and Joshua Williams.
Sneed, Watson and Williams project as the starters if the Chiefs open the game in a nickel package.
Williams said he had an inkling he’d start if McDuffie couldn’t play.
“It was probably early in the week,” he said. “We knew Trent went down. We didn’t know where Trent was health-wise, but it was looking positive. They just kept on me alert and let me know I was the next man up.”
Meanwhile, kicker Harrison Butker (left ankle sprain) was observed on the practice field for a third straight day; he appears on track to return to action Sunday for the first time since Week 1.
Right guard Trey Smith (pectoral) and defensive end Mike Danna (calf) were also observed on the field. Danna hasn’t played since getting hurt in Week 2, while Smith didn’t play in Monday night’s Week 5 game.
The Chiefs did not assign game designations to Butker, Smith or Danna, meaning they are available for Sunday’s game.
This story was originally published October 14, 2022 at 2:29 PM.
