Andy Reid Delivers Bleak Injury Updates on JuJu Smith-Schuster, Jaylen Watson

The Kansas City Chiefs will reportedly be without cornerback Jaylen Watson for the foreseeable future while wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster also won't return in time for Week 8.

Oct 7, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (9) runs with the ball during the first half against the New Orleans Saints at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Despite holding the NFL's lone undefeated record, the 6-0 Kansas City Chiefs have weathered several bleak Mondays in 2024 due to injuries that have plagued the reigning back-to-back champions. This week, cornerback Jaylen Watson and wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster left Sunday's win over the San Francisco 49ers with injuries that left KC shorthanded in their eventual 28-18 win.

On Monday, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid shared the latest regarding KC's injured No. 2 cornerback and most-trusted remaining veteran wide receiver, and Reid wasted no time in ruling out both players for next week's action.

"I would tell you, Watson, it's not going to be good, and he won't be ready this week, JuJu won't be ready this week," Reid said. "Two different things there."

On Monday morning, Ian Rapoport reported that Watson suffered a fractured ankle and noted that Watson would "have more imaging done [Monday] to determine if a return this season is possible."

As Jordan Foote of Kansas City Chiefs On SI wrote before Reid's press conference, any extended absence for Watson will be a major blow to KC's defense:

"Prior to getting hurt, Watson was truly playing some of his best football," Foote wrote. "It wasn't particularly close, either. The third-year man really emerged into a legitimate piece in the secondary, amassing 32 tackles (he had 33 all of last year) and tying a career-high mark with six passes broken up in six games. In coverage, he surrendered just a 51.7% completion rate and a 73.9 passer rating that blew his previous best of 103.6 out of the water. That, combined with how much he thrives at playing a physical brand of football, made him an ideal fit in Steve Spagnuolo and Dave Merritt's cornerback unit. Kansas City will sorely miss Watson's production, and it remains to be seen whether it can be replaced down the stretch."

At wide receiver, the Chiefs were left to scramble in Smith-Schuster's absence on Sunday, giving the largest role increase to beleaguered 2022 second-round pick Skyy Moore. Moore took 33 offensive snaps (47%) on Sunday, resulting in one target that he dropped. He has still not caught a pass this season. Next up, veteran Mecole Hardman took 21 snaps (30%).

With Smith-Schuster already ruled out for Week 8, the Chiefs have four healthy receivers on their active roster: Xavier Worthy, Justin Watson, Moore and Hardman. Familiar face Marquez Valdes-Scantling is a free agent and the Chiefs have wide receivers Justyn Ross, Nikko Remigio and Montrell Washington on their practice squad as KC looks to bolster a wide receiver room now missing their No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4 wide receivers following the injuries to Smith-Schuster, Rashee Rice and Marquise "Hollywood" Brown.

Read More: Chiefs at 49ers Snap Counts: Wide Receiver Struggles Continue, What's the Plan at Cornerback?