Andy Reid's press conference to open a new week of practice was focused on one position: kicker. After the news broke that the Chiefs were signing veteran Justin Tucker to the practice squad as competition for struggling incumbent Harrison Butker, reporters were abuzz with questions about the decision-making process to bring in another option.
Tucker signed with the Chiefs mid-week after Butker missed two more field goals on Sunday in a loss to the Seattle Seahawks in primetime. It was yet another disappointing outing for the long-tenured kicker, and the Chiefs finally reached a tipping point when it came to their previously patient approach.
What did we learn from Reid about the signing of Tucker? What will be the approach in Week 8 with two kickers available to them? Here's everything we learned from Reid's media session on Wednesday:
The Chiefs are healthy(ish)
The Chiefs have been struggling to find able bodies at both wide receiver and offensive tackle for the last couple of weeks. Along the offensive line, Josh Simmons was placed on injured reserve a week ago, and Jaylon Moore has missed time in the team's concussion protocol. At wideout, the losses of Tyquan Thornton (ankle) and Rashee Rice (hamstring) have severely limited the team's aerial attack.
With a visit to the Denver Broncos in Week 8, the good news is that the Chiefs are getting back reinforcements. Both Rice and Moore are practicing on Wednesday, as Reid noted that everyone was able to participate to start a new week of prep. That doesn't mean there aren't limitations, but even if only one of those players is able to go on Sunday afternoon, it will be a major boost for the offense.
Chiefs did their homework on Justin Tucker
Reid refused to go into any specifics regarding their "homework" on Justin Tucker, but suffice it to say, his presence on the practice squad speaks to how they feel about having him around.tha
For review, Tucker was suspended for 10 games a year ago after sexual misconduct allegations surfaced from 16 different massage therapists. The Baltimore Ravens parted ways with their longtime kicker after the news broke, although he was already struggling with accuracy in his final season with the team in 2024.
The Chiefs' signing of Tucker was widely criticized for the optics of it all, but Reid said he felt comfortable with the signing. "So he's done his suspension, you know, and take care of that business there. I'll leave it at that for ya."
When asked whether or not Chiefs owner Clark Hunt was a part of the team's decision-making process, Reid simply stated, "Listen, we try to do our homework the best way we possibly can. We talk to a lot of people, make sure things are okay."
Later, Reid added, "I try to do homework on it and see exactly what's taken place since. The kid... he served a suspension. There's been time involved with it, so that's how I evaluate it."
Reid says Butker understands the situation
The Chiefs auditioned three kickers and Tucker was the pick of the lot. Despite converting only 73.3 percent of his attempts in '24, Reid said, "Listen, he did really well. He did a nice job with it."
As for whether or not the Chiefs talked to Butker about it, Reid says he "understands the business."
"Listen, Harrison, we love. I've told you that before. He's one of my favorite guys. Sometimes things don't go quite the way you want them and you work on that. He understands the business and how it works and we had a practice squad position open, and so for security, we brought [Tucker] in and put him in that spot we had open. Butker gets it. He knows that's part of this business. He's struggled a little bit and he gets it. He needs to pick it up here a little bit."
Reid later added, "Obviously he didn't do very well this past game. I'm stating the obvious here. He's been up and down a little bit. This happens. Like anybody else in this business, myself included, you gotta pick it up and do better. So he gets that and that's where he sits right now."
Butker will have one more chance, at least
Reid did make it clear that the Chiefs will give Butker practice reps this week in an attempt to right the ship. Tucker is new to the team and on the practice squad. "He'll take that and then we'll just see where it goes," said Reid. The Chiefs head coach also said that having two kickers on the active roster was not likely.
Reid also didn't seem concerned about any distracting effects on the team's locker room, although he also explained that he did not consult his players before making the move. "I've got a good locker room, first of all. They get it. We don't have a lot of secrets from the guys, so we keep trying to be honest with them. Normally that's worked out for a couple of years. "
More work for Cyrus Allen coming
Chiefs Kingdom was enamored with the work of rookie wide receiver Cyrus Allen during the team's preseason, but so far, he's been largely relegated to the bench through seven weeks. That was surprisingly true even as the Chiefs turned to the likes of Andrew Armstrong and the signing of Justin Watson after watching Rice and Thornton deal with injuries.
Those rooting for a greater share of the offensive load for Allen will be happy with Reid's latest update. While there are no guarantees, Reid said, "Yeah, we're growing him as we go. Talented. He got a little bit more last week. He'll get a little bit more this coming week."
Wide receiver addition coming?
The Chiefs are reportedly shopping for a wide receiver as the NFL's trade deadline creeps closer on November 10. When asked about the potential of a deal, Reid said that he's hoping any new addition is a quick learner, or at least already familiar enough to make an impact.
"You'd hope they'd be familiar with the offense. If they're not, they gotta be smart and pick it up quickly. I've had players that have done that and done it well, but i will tell ya, but there'd better be some form of an aptitude there, a capacity if you're jumping into the middle of things."
Some common names mentioned in reference with the Chiefs include Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs, Baltimore Ravens receiver Rashod Bateman, and Washington Commanders veteran Stefon Diggs.
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