Chris Jones, Khalen Saunders miss practice for KC Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs are beginning practice this week a day late given that they are scheduled to play on Monday night in primetime instead of the typical Sunday slate. As the team gets into the rhythm of preparation for another game in Week 8, we’re also getting a sense of the latest injury outlook, and it seems as if the defensive line is hurting nearing the heart of the season.

Both Chris Jones and Khalen Saunders are among the players who are not able to practice for the team on Thursday. Jones was out for personal reasons, per Chiefs team reporter Matt McMullen, while Saunders is dealing with a swollen knee in the wake of the Week 7 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

Linebacker Anthony Hitchens also sat out practice for the Chiefs on Thursday, but that’s to be expected as he heals from a triceps injury that has kept him out of practice for the last week and the team’s most recent game. His timeline is yet unknown, but the Chiefs haven’t placed him on injured reserve, so there’s an expectation he could be available this week or next just based on that.

As for Jones, it’s uncertain what’s keeping him out but further rest for his wrist injury is not a bad call, even if that’s not what’s at work at Thursday’s practice. His ongoing health has been a concern for weeks now and it would be nice to see him able to put the injury behind that’s plagued him in several games and even caused him to miss two more.

For Saunders, he’s been playing fairly well in limited reps, so his loss would be a pretty big hit in the trenches for a team with lackluster play up front. What few contributors the team has are needed, even as they’re rumored to be trading for more in Melvin Ingram.