Kansas City Chiefs injuries: Armani Watts, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif on injured reserve

The Kansas City Chiefs placed two players on injured reserve and announced the return of Frank Zombo to the team on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the Kansas City Chiefs announced a series of roster moves intended to deal with the litany of injuries suffered on Sunday in their win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Chiefs announced they had re-signed a familiar face in linebacker Frank Zombo to the active roster to help with injuries to Justin Houston and Dee Ford. However the Chiefs also placed starting right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and rookie safety Armani Watts on injured reserve. The Chiefs also moved rookie free agent pass rusher Robert McCray to the team’s practice squad.

There’s a lot to discuss here, beginning with the significant losses of Duvernay-Tardif and Watts both to IR. It’s unknown whether or not both players will be eligible to return this season or not, since no further details were given by the team at this time, but clearly they will be out for the next eight weeks. That means the Chiefs will be in the middle of the stretch run in December before we talk about either player performing again for the Chiefs.

Both players will cost the Chiefs in significant ways. Duvernay-Tardif is a solid young guard who gets better with each passing year, but has now suffered a major injury in successive seasons. The Chiefs had a great thing going along the offensive line with chemistry and consistency, but now the Chiefs will scramble to fill a hole between center Mitch Morse and right tackle Mitchell Schwartz.

The loss of Watts likely hurts nearly as much because the rookie safety out of Texas A&M had slowly developed into a better performer each week in a secondary that needs playmakers. Dan Sorensen and Eric Berry have missed the first five weeks apiece and there’s no return date in sight for either at this point. Watts had made key plays in each of the last two weeks and now his pro development is stunted due to a groin injury.

While the Chiefs also figure out how to handle the temporary injuries to Justin Houston and others within the pass rushing ranks, the team has brought back Frank Zombo, a player who is very familiar with Bob Sutton’s schemes and can step right in to a contributor role off the strett. Zombo was cut just before active rosters were due.