The Kansas City Chiefs could be down multiple pass rushers against the New England Patriots on Sunday if practice is any indication.
If you read the tea leaves, things do not look good for the Kansas City Chiefs pass rush on Sunday. Both Justin Houston and Tanoh Kpassagnon sat out practice on Wednesday and the same is true of Thursday.
The Chiefs defense showed up strong on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but it also cost them in terms of personnel. Armani Watts, a rookie safety taken in the fourth round of this year’s draft, was placed on injured reserve after the game with a groin injury. Starting right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif was also placed on IR with a fractured fibula.
In addition to the major losses were potentially ongoing losses in the form of the aforementioned pass rushers and safety Eric Murray. Houston in particular is unlikely to play but Andy Reid was hesitant to project about either player.
The Chiefs already went out and signed two new players in their stead. Familiar roster mainstay Frank Zombo is now back with the team after playing for the Chiefs for the last five years as a special teams ace and veteran outside linebacker. Zombo was released earlier this season before final cuts were due but now the Chiefs know they can rely on someone who knows Bob Sutton’s defensive schemes so well.
The team also inked Nate Orchard, former linebacker for the Cleveland Browns and a second round pick in 2015, to the team as another pass rushing option. A team doesn’t make official moves like that unless they have good reason to believe they will be needed.