The Kansas City Chiefs are heading into their toughest matchup of the season, a road trip to face the Seattle Seahawks in primetime with an increasingly depleted offense. Andy Reid confirmed several key absences on Friday, including one that will give an intriguing rookie his first opportunity on the active roster.
Wide receiver Rashee Rice missed practice all week for the second straight week with a hamstring injury and has been designated as out. Right tackle Jaylon Moore has been in the team's concussion protocol all week since leaving the Chiefs' Week 6 win over the L.A. Chargers, and he'll sit out of Sunday's game as well. That means the Chiefs will go into Week 7 with two backup offensive tackles and a severely depleted wide receiving corps.
Brashard Smith injury opens the door for Jaydn Ott
The latest curveball for the Chiefs came on Thursday, when Reid said that running back Brashard Smith surfaced with a hamstring injury. He was unable to practice on Friday and the head coach said he'd be out as well against the Seahawks.
In Smith's place, Reid already mentioned that undrafted rookie running back Jaydn Ott would receive the promotion to the active roster to replace him. That means Ott will be making his professional debut against the toughest opponent for the Chiefs so far.
Chiefs won't have much trouble replacing Smith on offense
Replacing Smith on the offensive side won't be all that difficult for the Chiefs, since they've rarely called on him through six games. Kenneth Walker's presence in the backfield as the team's best offensive weapon will command most of the snaps as it is, especially when playing against his former team for the first time. Emmett Johnson has been his replacement for a couple of series each game and deserves more reps.
To date, Smith hasn't had a single carry through six games and he's caught the only target thrown to him—a four-yard catch—in six offensive snaps. His primary offensive value in the present is the security he provides as another explosive option in case of injury.
That said, he also profiles as the most dynamic return option on a team confusingly committed to Nikko Remigio. After watching Remigio fumble one punt and nearly fumble another last week, Smith looked like he might get a real chance to take over the role. But the hamstring injury will likely lead to Remigio owning the role for at least another week—unless Jaydn Ott enters the picture.
Jaydn Ott brings intriguing potential to Kansas City
The Chiefs signed Ott and E.J. Smith as rookie free agents to round out the preseason backfield earlier this spring. Ott was able to find a long-term home on the practice squad after both prospects were waived over roster cut weekend.
Ott is a smaller back at 5-foot-11, 198 pounds who played for current Chiefs running backs coach DeMarco Murray when both were with the Oklahoma Sooners a year ago. Ott struggled through two injury-plagued seasons before joining the Chiefs, but his productivity at Cal during his first two collegiate seasons showed real promise and versatility.
Ott led the Pac-12 with 1,315 rushing yards in 2023 and had 25 total touchdowns in his first two years for the Golden Bears. He also had a 99-yard kickoff return that showed how dangerous he could be in the open field with elite speed and athleticism. Ott registered a 40.5-inch vertical leap and a 1.53-second 10-yard split in pre-draft drills. However, the health history kept him from being selected over draft weekend.
It's unlikely that the Chiefs will call upon Ott in such a big game, especially if Smith has been sitting on the bench as well. But it's clear he's the next man up and unexpected opportunities arise all the time. Now that Ott is healthy, he's waiting in the wings for the chance to help K.C., and his talent gives him a number of ways in which he can do so.
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