Chiefs Open Practice Window for Isiah Pacheco, Charles Omenihu – Could They Return vs. Buffalo?

The Chiefs are getting reinforcements on both sides of the football as Isiah Pacheco and Charles Omenihu are taking another major step in their recoveries. Could they suit up on Sunday in Buffalo?

Sep 15, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (10) takes the field prior to a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Chiefs are set to get a pair of reinforcements for the second half of the 2024 season, as running back Isiah Pacheco and defensive end Charles Omenihu are taking the next major step in their return to the field.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid confirmed that both players would return to practice on Wednesday, opening the 21-day practice window for both players.

"Charles and Pacheco will start working today," Reid said. "We'll just gradually build them up as we go."

Could either player be active for Sunday's matchup with the Buffalo Bills?

"Unlikely," Reid said.

By opening the 21-day practice window for both players, Pacheco and Omenihu can take up to three weeks of practice availability before they must be activated to a 53-man roster spot. This allows for both players to ramp up into practice work in the last act of their rehab process. The Chiefs will not have to make a corresponding move until either player is activated to the 53-man roster.

While both players are "unlikely" to play against the Bills, their returns will bolster their respective position groups when they rejoin the lineup. Kareem Hunt, who returned to Kansas City and has held the starting job since Pacheco's injury, has been heavily relied upon to keep KC's offense on track. While Pacheco will likely retake the starting role, he and Hunt can be a violent duo in the backfield while veteran Samaje Perine retains third-down duties.

At defensive end, recently acquired pass rusher Joshua Uche hasn't seen much work in his first two games as a Chief, while George Karlaftis and Mike Danna are the Chiefs' preferred starters. In Danna's absences, Felix Anudike-Uzomah and Malik Herring have seen an increased workload, while Cameron Thomas, also acquired via trade, has barely seen the field in 2024. Karlaftis, Omenihu, Danna, Uche and Anudike-Uzomah should be at the top of KC's rotation as Omenihu gets back up to speed.

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