Chiefs Injury Report: Good and Bad Week 18 News on Chris Jones, Isiah Pacheco, Others

With Thursday's practice in the books, the Chiefs are continuing to monitor injury situations with Chris Jones, Isiah Pacheco, D.J. Humphries and others.

Dec 8, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) and defensive end George Karlaftis (56) get ready before the snap during the first half against the Los Angeles Chargers at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Ahead of their Week 18 game against the Denver Broncos, the Kansas City Chiefs continued their stretch of practices on Thursday afternoon.

With just a few days to go until their Sunday outing on the road, the reigning Super Bowl champions are getting a clearer picture of who could be available to close out the regular season.

Chris Jones, Isiah Pacheco and Jawaan Taylor miss another practice

For the second day in a row to open the week, Kansas City was without three of its key starters at practice. Defensive tackle Chris Jones (calf), running back Isiah Pacheco (rib) and right tackle Jawaan Taylor (knee) all sat out on Thursday. Head coach Andy Reid previously alluded to knee soreness for Taylor, also saying he'd give a "tender" Pacheco a light week so he's fresh for the postseason. Neither situation is something to worry about just yet, although it'd be ideal for the Chiefs if Taylor's troublesome knee held up for a final run of games.

The same sentiment appears to be true for Jones, who suffered a calf strain in Week 16's win over the Houston Texans. After sitting out Christmas Day's win in Pittsburgh against the Steelers, it doesn't make much sense for him to be available in the final week of the regular season. Kansas City has the AFC's No. 1 seed locked up and will need their best defensive player as close to 100% as possible for the Divisional Round. Keeping him out of the lineup for nearly a calendar month is a good way to help that happen.

D.J. Humphries, Chamarri Conner continuing to make progress

Elsewhere, the Chiefs got positive news on the injury front this week. Left tackle D.J. Humphries (hamstring) and safety Chamarri Conner (concussion) both returned to practice on Wednesday and were listed as full participants. The same designation was listed on Thursday, which could be a good sign for their potential Week 18 availability. On defense, Conner's eventual return will give Steve Spagnuolo another piece to work with in the secondary.

Offensively, Reid didn't seem sure earlier this week whether Humphries would get back into the starting lineup on Sunday. The patchwork Joe Thuney-Mike Caliendo duo has held its own in recent games, taking some pressure off of Humphries while rehabbing from his injury.

"I'm going to play it kind of by ear as we go here," Reid said. "I've been happy with Caliendo and how he's played, I've been happy with Joe and how he's played. I appreciate them jumping in and keeping the level of play up. I'm curious to see where D.J. is at and if he can do anything. I just want to see where we're at, and I'll evaluate that as we go down the stretch here."

Four players were listed as limited participants in Wednesday's practice: wideout Mecole Hardman (knee), quarterback Patrick Mahomes (ankle), cornerback Trent McDuffie (knee) and defensive tackle Mike Pennel (hamstring). Of that group, Thursday saw all four players carry the same designations.

Read More: Key Things to Track in Chiefs' Week 18 Game vs. Broncos