Justin Reid Delivers Two-Word Message on Status for Week 1

With Andy Reid's recent comments and Justin Reid's tweet to consider, things are looking up for KC's top safety to end the preseason.

Jul 26, 2024; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid (20) waves to fans while walking down the hill from the locker room to the fields prior to training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

It wasn't the healthiest of training camps for the Kansas City Chiefs, as several projected starters dealt with injuries at Missouri Western State University. The back-to-back Super Bowl champs saw many of those players miss preseason snaps as a result, providing limited or zero looks at those who could play significant roles in 2024.

Safety Justin Reid fits that billing. The veteran defensive back missed a big chunk of camp practices with a quad ailment, going on the non-football injury list and sitting out for a while. Reid eventually returned to practice with his teammates, although he didn't play in Saturday's outing against the Detroit Lions.

Head coach Andy Reid is slated to rest his starters this Thursday versus the Chicago Bears, meaning Reid should be inactive for his third game in a row. That isn't cause for concern, however, regarding Week 1 of the regular season. Taking to X on Monday evening, Reid responded to a fan asking about his availability with a simple two-word message: "I'm playing."

I’m playing

— Justin Reid (@JustinqReid) August 19, 2024

This aligns with what his head coach said earlier on Monday. As of now, the only player whose Week 1 availability could be in question is wide receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown as he recovers from a sternoclavicular injury. That means Reid, defensive tackle Chris Jones, left guard Joe Thuney and right tackle Jawaan Taylor should all be good to go.

With the Baltimore Ravens waiting in the weeds, this is a massive boost for Kansas City. Reid was the club's best safety a year ago, amassing career-highs in tackles (95), quarterback hits (5) and sacks (3). The former third-round pick may need an even better effort during a contract year, so being available to start the season is a plus on a personal level as well.

If there was any doubt about Reid being cleared for the opener, it can pretty much be extinguished now barring a setback.

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