Chiefs get encouraging Rashee Rice news as Kristian Fulton misses again

Wednesday provided fans with another opportunity to see their favorite team practice in pads before the preseason schedule kicks off. Weather forced the team to flirt with taking things inside for good, but fans were treated to the up-close drills and autograph sessions that they hoped for all along.

Kristian Fulton was missing in action once again for the Chiefs in St. Joseph on Wednesday, but a reason was finally given for his absence. Head coach Andy Reid stated that Fulton remains out with a hip flexor for the second consecutive day, which renews lingering concerns about his usage and status going forward.

Fulton wasn't the only player affected by injury on Wednesday, but it was one of the more important talking points from camp. Let's go through the list.

Fulton's ongoing absence

Coming into training camp, the Chiefs were looking at a bunch of newcomers who would rally around holdovers Noah Williams and Kristian Fulton. But the two mainstays have trended in completely different directions so far in camp. While Williams has taken a big leap in his second season, the Chiefs are once again left to wonder how reliable Fulton will be for them in 2026.

The Chiefs brought in plenty of competition for the remaining roster spots, both inside and out, so it's not as if the team is banking on Fulton to be ready for starter's reps. But the cloud around the entire depth chart as rookies and veterans alike try to learn Steve Spagnuolo's system, places a greater strain on those coming in for the first time.

Fulton's hip flexor now becomes a real issue for a secondary that was already in flux.

The progress of Rashee Rice

Andy Reid has made it clear that certain players who are dealing with offseason rehab will be "eased in" as training camp progresses. From cornerback L'Jarius Sneed to quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs have no shortage of limited players with individualized rehab plans in St. Joseph. Another name is wide receiver Rashee Rice, who had an offseason knee debridement in May and is still working his way back to full strength.

The good news is that Rice took a step forward as a full participant in 11-on-11 drills on Wednesday. Reid praised Rice in his post-practice remarks, saying he had "a lot of good reps", which is an important development for the Chiefs offense going forward.

Injury updates for the Chiefs

On Wednesday, a couple of new names crept into the injury sphere. Pete Sweeney of the Kansas City Star noted that linebackers Jeffrey Bassa and Drue Tranquill were dealng with issues that had not surfaced yet in camp. The groin strain for Bassa will be something to watch for a linebacker expected to make a big leap forward. Tranquill's back spasms are a concern because he was having the same issues last summer. The Chiefs already have numerous veterans to manage in terms of reps and workload as they ramp up toward the regular season.

We've already covered Fulton above, but he was joined by a company of expected names on the sidelines: wide receivers Xavier Worthy and Cyrus Allen and defensive linemen Omarr Norman Lott and Ashton Gillotte. Some of these names could be back in practice very soon given the short-term timelines originally given to reporters for each.

Tyrann Mathieu's heartening note

We'd be remiss if we didn't include Tryann Mathieu's encouraging post after having spent a couple of days in training camp with the Chiefs.

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