The Kansas City Chiefs just dodged a massive bullet. Rookie cornerback Mansoor Delane is expected to miss minimal time after his shoulder injury, a relief for a defense that needed him immediately. The team started the 2026 season with a win, but the mood turned sour when Delane went down early. Now, the outlook has shifted from panic to hope. This is the kind of break a championship team needs right out of the gate.
The Scans Tell the Real Story
Delane suffered the injury on the same play where he grabbed his first career interception against Denver. It looked bad at the time. He landed hard on his shoulder and had to leave the game. The team sent him for tests on Tuesday, September 15. According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, the results came back clean. “Yeah, Mansoor Delane deserves all of that praise, but he did spend the day getting tests done on that shoulder,” Rapoport said. The X-rays and CT scans were both negative. This is huge because Delane had a hairline fracture on his scapula earlier in the spring. The fear was that he re-injured that exact spot. Instead, it looks like a fresh, minor issue.
Depth Moves Show Smart Planning
While the team waited for news, they did not sit idle. The Chiefs brought back Melvin Smith Jr. to the practice squad. Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reported the move first. Smith is a familiar face who played at Southern Arkansas and spent the 2025 season on the Chiefs practice squad. He even filled in as a starter during training camp when others were out. The team knows they need options if Delane cannot go. But they also know Smith is ready to step up if called. This shows the front office is thinking ahead. They are not waiting for a crisis to fix it. They are already preparing the backup plan while hoping the starter is fine.
“The belief is that Mansoor Delane should miss minimal time due to his shoulder injury. Some good news,” Rapoport said – a line that sums up the day perfectly. The Chiefs have a short week to get ready for the Indianapolis Colts. If Delane can practice on Wednesday, he might be ready for Sunday Night Football. Even if he sits, the team has a plan. They have the depth to survive a week or two.
