Chiefs vs. Bears Inactives: Who's Playing in KC's Preseason Finale?

The Kansas City Chiefs are nearly set to kick off the final game of their 2024 preseason with a home showdown against the Chicago Bears, but both teams will look very different as both squads sit starters on Thursday night.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid announced earlier this week that he would "probably sit the starters," giving KC's No. 1s an extra week of rest with two weeks to prepare to face the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, September 5.

The best news of the final week of preseason action came from Reid's optimism about the group's current injured starters.

"Yeah, I think all those guys will be ready, the only one in question would probably be [wide receiver] Hollywood [Brown]," Reid said when asked specifically about defensive tackle Chris Jones, right tackle Jawaan Taylor, left guard Joe Thuney and safety Justin Reid. "They all should be ready."

On Thursday afternoon, Adam Teicher of ESPN posted a rundown of offensive players he believed fans were "unlikely to see" suit up for the game, expanding beyond just KC's obvious starters:

- Quarterback: Patrick Mahomes, Carson Wentz
- Running back: Isiah Pacheco, Clyde Edwards-Helaire
- Wide receiver: Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Marquise "Hollywood" Brown (sternoclavicular injury), Justin Watson, Skyy Moore
- Tight end: Travis Kelce, Noah Gray
- Offensive line: Kingsley Suamataia, Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, Jawaan Taylor

Teicher later tweeted that it "looks like Skyy Moore may get a few plays tonight after all. He didn't practice during the week with the group that will play tonight but he's out there for early warmups."

Roughly a half-hour before kickoff, Teicher tweeted lists of players from both sides of the ball who aren't suited up for Thursday's showdown, including Mahomes, Wentz, Worthy, Rice, Brown, Watson, Pacheco, Edwards-Helaire, Humphrey, Thuney, Smith, Taylor, Suamataia, Kelce, Gray and wide receiver Jaaron Hayek.

On defense, Teicher tweeted that defenders not in uniform include Joshua Williams, Bryan Cook, Justin Reid, Trent McDuffie, Drue Tranquill, Nick Bolton, Mike Danna, Leo Chenal, George Karlaftis, Truman Jones, Mike Pennel, Chris Jones, Tershawn Wharton and Nazeeh Johnson.

Bears head coach Matt Eberflus previously announced that "the majority of the starters" would not play in the team's final preseason game, including rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.

Kingsley Suamataia is READY to protect QB1's blindside 😎@ByNateTaylor @jbbrisco @RealMNchiefsfan pic.twitter.com/66UoOCkS4c
— KC Sports Network (@KCSportsNetwork) August 22, 2024

Despite certainly sitting on Thursday night and being deemed "in question" for Week 1 by Reid, Brown tweeted a brief injury update on Thursday when asked how his sternoclavicular joint is feeling.

Peachy 😊
— Hollywood Brown (@Primetime_jet) August 22, 2024

"Peachy 😊," Brown replied.

Read More: Three Offensive Players With Something to Prove in Chiefs' Preseason Finale vs. Bears