The Kansas City Chiefs lost a preseason game 16-15 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the real story is the shrinking roster. Andy Reid confirmed two key players are out, and the team is already missing starters. This is a warning sign for a squad that needs everyone healthy to survive the season. The Chiefs entered Saturday’s game reeling from injuries as training camp concluded, according to Arrowhead Pride.
Two Stars Sit Out Warmups
Safety Alohi Gilman did not play at all. He suffered low back spasms during warmups. Tyreke Smith, the reserve defensive end, also suffered a hamstring injury according to reports. Smith tweaked his right leg and could not continue. Reid gave a blunt assessment of the situation. Reid started his postgame comments by stating that Alohi experienced low back spasms during warmups and therefore did not play. Tyreke Smith tweaked his right hamstring. The severity remains uncertain, yet it was significant enough to prevent him from continuing the game. The coach admitted he does not know the severity of Smith’s issue yet. That uncertainty is a problem for a team that cannot afford depth losses.
A Long List of Missing Players
The injury list is far longer than just those two names. Chamarri Conner is still recovering from a knee injury. Cornerback L’Jarius Sneed has missed time due to recurring knee ailments. Star quarterback Patrick Mahomes was ruled out earlier in the week. He is managing a major knee injury from December. Left tackle Josh Simmons and right guard Trey Smith also sat out with back and hip issues. Neither preseason match has featured wide receivers Rashee Rice or Xavier Worthy. Rice is coming off knee surgery. Worthy is working back from a shoulder injury. Linebacker Drue Tranquill has missed both exhibitions with a back injury. Ashton Gillotte, the defensive end, is dealing with a ruptured planter fascia in his right foot. He reportedly hopes to be available for Week 1. Second-year defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott remains on the physically-unable-to-perform list due to an ACL tear.
The depth chart looks thin. Fifteen additional Chiefs players were absent from the game. Jeff Caldwell, Jeff Weimer, and Jimmy Holiday all missed Saturday’s game. Caldwell suffered a hyperextended knee. Holiday has been out with a quad injury. With a knee injury, key reserve linebacker Jack Cochrane sat out. The team is light on reinforcements at the position. This is not the time for minor tweaks. The Chiefs need their starters healthy before the regular season begins. If the injury bug keeps biting, the defense will struggle to find its rhythm.
Reid is right to be cautious. The coach knows that pushing players too hard in August can cost them the season. But the team cannot hide behind “managing” injuries forever. The roster needs to be ready. The Chiefs entered the game with a starting safety already down. Now they have lost another starter to spasms and a reserve to a hamstring. The path to the Super Bowl is narrow. Every missed practice adds to the risk. The fans will see the impact in September if the medical staff cannot get these players back on the field.
