Texans vs. Chiefs: Khalen Saunders leaves with elbow injury

Khalen Saunders left the Chiefs vs. Texans game with an elbow injury.

The Kansas City Chiefs suffered the first injury of the season on Thursday night when defensive tackle Khalen Saunders was forced to leave with an elbow injury.

Saunders went down early in the first quarter holding his left arm after a play against the Houston Texans. He left for the sidelines and was taken to the locker room before the first half was over. The Chiefs declared him out for the game thereafter.

Without Saunders on the field, the Chiefs become that much thinner along the defensive front, especially along the interior. The team carries plenty of defensive ends, but Saunders is one of the biggest defenders on the team and is key for their run defense. With Mike Pennel also out due to a suspension to open the season for two games, the Chiefs now will have to be careful how they manage reps down the stretch.

That said, the Chiefs already have a 10-point lead and get the ball back at halftime, so the Texans might be looking to pass more than run the ball. However, the interior will be a position to watch going forward until Pennel can return. Chris Jones is there along with Derrick Nnadi for now, but expect the team to make some minor moves after the game.

Saunders was the Chiefs third round draft pick in 2019 out of Western Illinois as a small school prospect with a high ceiling. Called the “Aaron Donald of the FCS,” Saunders is a surprisingly athletic big man with disruptive potential coming into his second season—as long as he can stay healthy.