Chiefs tight end Jody Fortson misses second straight day of practice with quad injury
The Chiefs are relatively healthy on the injury front approaching Sunday night’s home game against the Tennessee Titans.
Of the 53 players on the Chiefs’ active roster, only backup tight end Jody Fortson (quad) was unable to practice Thursday, marking a second straight day of missed work for the third-year pro.
If Fortson can’t play in Week 9, the Chiefs still have tight ends Travis Kelce and Noah Gray available.
Linebacker Willie Gay Jr. (hamstring) was able to practice Thursday, as were wide receiver Mecole Hardman (heel), defensive end Mike Danna (calf), cornerback Trent McDuffie (hamstring), running back Jerick McKinnon (shoulder) and defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi (Achilles).
The Chiefs are continuing to evaluate tackle Lucas Niang, who returned to practice Wednesday. Niang, who started nine games at right tackle in 2021, remains on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Wednesday marked his first on-field work since he suffered a knee injury in Week 17 last season.
While he will need to work off some rust, Niang impressed his position coach.
“Lucas has been working really hard with our training staff, and the nutritionist and doing all the right things that way,” Chiefs offensive line coach Andy Heck said Thursday. “Yesterday was the first time we got to see him out there on the field. It was a great start for him.”
Kansas City has 21 days, an NFL-mandated timeline that began Wednesday, to decide whether to activate Niang to their 53-player roster or leave him on the PUP list.
“I’m excited to see how he progresses,” Heck said. “There’ll be a lot to evaluate here in the coming days and weeks.”
The Chiefs later in the afternoon designated Gay, Danna, Hardman, McDuffie, McKinnon and Nnadi as full participants for the second straight day. Offensive lineman Prince Tega Wanogho was added to Thursday’s report as a full participant with a rib injury.
This story was originally published November 3, 2022 at 1:19 PM.
