Adam Teicher, ESPN Workforce Scribbler
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — All-Professional tight finish Travis Kelce hyperextended his knee on the Kansas City Chiefs‘ follow Tuesday, making his availability for Thursday night time’s season opener towards the Detroit Lions unsure, professor Andy Reid stated.
“The next guy steps in and we roll,” Reid said when asked how the game plan might change without Kelce. “That’s what you do if [he doesn’t play].”
Vast receiver Skyy Moore stated he used to be operating a path at the play games when Kelce used to be injured.
“He was limping when I saw him, like just walking off the field,” said Moore, who added that Kelce left the practice field without any help. “It used to be a just right signal to peer him be on one?s feet by means of himself and get off the farmland.”
As for what the offense would possibly appear to be towards the Lions with out Kelce, Moore stated, “It’ll be a little bit different. … Everybody will be able to fill in the gaps. Obviously, that’s a Hall of Fame tight end, but we’ll be able to do our job and pull across the finish line.”
The Chiefs have two other tight ends on their active roster, Noah Grey and Blake Bell. Gray caught 28 passes with a touchdown last season, Bell missed most of the year with a hip flexor injury but has 60 catches with one touchdown in eight NFL seasons with five teams.
“He’s one of the crucial hardest and we will be able to’t watch for him to get again available in the market,” Bell stated of Kelce. “We’re just going to keep doing what we do and the rest of the guys in the room will be ready to roll.”
The Chiefs also have two tight ends on their practice squad and one, Matt Bushman, was with the Chiefs in training camp. Bushman said he received a few snaps with the starting group after Kelce’s injury, something that normally wouldn’t happen if he wasn’t going to play in the upcoming game.
Reid also said Tuesday there has been “disagree exit” in talks with holdout defensive take on Chris Jones, who is looking for a unused agreement.
“We’re centered at the guys which are right here, on the brink of play games the Lions, and that’s the place I’m at. If you happen to’re now not there, you’re now not there, that’s the title of this sport,” Reid stated.
The 33-year-old Kelce, who has surpassed 1,000 yards receiving in seven consecutive seasons, has now not neglected a sport to shock since his rookie season in 2013, when he underwent a microfracture process on his knee. He has best neglected 3 video games since 2014, two times resting within the ultimate era of the 2017 and 2020 seasons, respectively, and lacking a Generation 16 sport in 2021 as a result of COVID-19.
The purpose unfold on Thursday night time’s sport moved nearest the inside track of Kelce’s shock, shedding from Kansas Town -6.5 to -5 at Caesars Sportsbook.
ESPN’s David Purdum contributed to this document.
