Andy Reid Updates on Progress of Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Charles Omenihu, BJ Thompson

Andy Reid provided brief updates on possible return-to-play context for RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire and DEs Charles Omenihu and BJ Thompson.

Sep 15, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Charles Omenihu (90) reacts during the second half against the Cincinnati Bengals at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

As the Kansas City Chiefs prepare for a Week 5 matchup with the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football, Andy Reid's squad is back at practice on Thursday afternoon.

Speaking to the media in advance of practice, Reid provided an update on several of his players who currently aren't counting against the 53-man roster.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire working with scout team as practice window opens

Veteran running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire has three weeks to get back up to speed before the Chiefs must decide whether they will bring him off the non-football illness list. Reid confirmed his return to practice on Thursday, hinting at the club easing him back in.

"Clyde, you saw, was elevated," Reid said. "He's got a 21-day window. We'll just get him back into the swing of things here and see how he does going forward here in the next couple of days."

Edwards-Helaire, who played in 15 regular-season games last year and amassed 411 yards from scrimmage on 87 touches, will be running with the scout team for a bit. As he continues to work his way back from battles with post-traumatic stress disorder and cyclic vomiting syndrome, this serves as a low-pressure environment for the former first-round pick now that his four-game mandatory absence is over.

"We'll practice him today with the scout team," Reid said. "Give him some reps there and let him just kind of get back in the swing of things. He's in good shape – he's been working out – so just getting him back into the football part."

Charles Omenihu's return date remains a bit of a mystery

Defensive end Charles Omenihu started the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, which was always the plan as he recovered from a torn ACL suffered in the AFC Championship Game. He seems to have previously hinted at a "target" being set for a potential return to play, although he still has to miss at least two more games before his respective practice window can be opened up.

Reid confirmed that it'll take some time before Omenihu is reintroduced to the practice field.

"I think that'll be a little bit here, yeah," Reid said.

Back in August, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported that Omenihu wasn't "expected back until November." Omenihu recently tweeted that he's "at the home stretch," which could signal a positive sign in his ongoing rehab. There should only be a couple more boxes to check before getting cleared for football activities, but patience remains important here.

BJ Thompson making progress, but isn't out of the woods just yet

Speaking of patience, the club is exercising it in spades regarding defensive end BJ Thompson. After suffering a seizure and going into cardiac arrest during an offseason meeting in June, the former fifth-round pick was released from the hospital just a handful of days thereafter and has been on the road to recovery ever since.

Reid confirmed on Thursday that Thompson continues to make good progress.

"Yeah, again, the doctors are monitoring him," Reid said. "He's doing good, to answer your question. He's doing good. He's in all the meetings and that. He's heading in the right direction, but we just have to see on that. I think time is a big part of that. We'll see how that goes."

Thompson is still on the non-football illness list, although his four-game window of mandatory inactivity has also elapsed. A late-August report stated that there was optimism surrounding his chances of playing this season, so the Thompson situation is certainly one to monitor moving forward.

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