Darrel Williams joins list of KC Chiefs injured players

The list of injured players for the K.C. Chiefs grew a bit on Monday during another training camp practice session, this time with veteran running back Darrel Williams joining the ranks along with rookie defensive end Joshua Kaindoh.

Williams did not practice on Monday due to a knee injury of some sort, although he was at least around his teammates who were practicing in St. Joseph.

This is a big season coming up for Williams who has a very real chance of earning himself a decent payday in free agency in this contract season. The Chiefs gave him a significant raise as a restricted free agent at $1.6 million after the team learned to trust him over likelier options in the postseason. Instead of leaning on the likes of Le’Veon Bell, it was Williams who was the team’s lead back in the postseason as Clyde Edwards-Helaire dealt with hip and ankle injuries.

Williams entered the NFL as a rookie free agent signing by the Chiefs before the 2018 season and he’s slowly earned more playing time each and every season. Last year, Williams was in on 25 percent of all offensive snaps through 16 games for the Chiefs. He had 39 carries for 169 rushing yards and 1 rushing touchdown in 2020.

This year, Edwards-Helaire will be back and ready to serve as the lead back for the offense, but Williams is the likely No. 2 back to spell him. Jerick McKinnon could be third in the pecking order if things remain the same, but of course, Darwin Thompson, Derrick Gore, and Elijah McGuire have different hopes than that.

As for Kaindoh, the Florida State product left practice on Monday with a hamstring injury. Defensive end Alex Okafor and linebacker Anthony Hitchens have also missed time with hamstrings.