KC Chiefs Opening Practice Window for WR Mecole Hardman

Kansas City has a flurry of injury updates to start the week of practice ahead of Week 16's game against the Raiders.

The Kansas City Chiefs are back to work ahead of a Christmas Day matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. To kick off Week 16's week of practice, plenty is going on as far as injuries are concerned.

Head coach Andy Reid spoke to the media on Thursday morning, providing an update on several players either on the roster but banged up or are on the injured reserve list. 

Mecole Hardman designated to return, practice window begins on Thursday

Wide receiver Mecole Hardman, who has been on the injured reserve list for nearly a month, is set to practice in some capacity on Thursday afternoon. The fifth-year wideout suffered a thumb injury in November that required surgery and an extended absence from the lineup to recover from. While Hardman will remain on IR until activated back to the 53-man roster, he has a 21-day window where he can practice and be evaluated by the team. 

Brought over in an in-season trade with the New York Jets, Hardman's second stint in Kansas City hasn't featured a ton of production. In four games with the Chiefs this year, he has eight receptions for 41 yards, one rushing attempt for three yards, a 14-yard kick return and seven punt returns for 61 yards. With the wideout room lacking some proven experience and speed, however, there should be a role waiting for Hardman once he comes off IR. 

Multiple Chiefs set to miss Thursday's practice

According to Reid, four members of the active roster won't work on Thursday. Linebackers Nick Bolton and Cam Jones are both sick, sitting out of the afternoon's practice. Elsewhere, running back Jerick McKinnon's groin injury is holding him out and wide receiver Kadarius Toney is out with a hip strain.

While the severity of their illnesses is undisclosed, Bolton and Jones will likely be able to progress and return to practice this week. McKinnon has been battling the aforementioned groin ailment for a while and during the week, Kansas City tends to lighten his workload to help keep him fresh. Toney has played in all but one game this season despite being a frequent flyer on the club's injury report. Participation designations for McKinnon and Toney are worth monitoring throughout the week. 

Updates on Skyy Moore and Isiah Pacheco 

Wide receiver Skyy Moore suffered a knee injury in Sunday's win over the New England Patriots, leading to him being placed on IR on Monday. Reid said there's a chance the second-year pass-catcher is back for the postseason, although the earliest he can make a return is the Divisional Round. That also implies that the Chiefs play in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, so securing a first-round bye could complicate things even further. Moore is required to miss four games before coming off IR. 

Running back Isiah Pacheco will return to practice on Thursday, ending his two-week absence from the lineup. The sophomore halfback had a shoulder injury that required a cleanup procedure and was held out for a bit because of it. Reid said that he believes a "full workload" is in store for Pacheco in Monday's game, but he has plenty of confidence in Clyde Edwards-Helaire to spell him whenever needed.

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