KC Chiefs Week 2 Injury Report: Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, L'Jarius Sneed Limited Wednesday
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce returned to practice on Wednesday after missing Week 1 with a hyperextended knee injury that resulted in a bone bruise. Star defensive tackle Chris Jones returned to the practice field for the first time since ending his holdout. Both were limited in Wednesday's practice as the Chiefs prepare for Week 2, but another injury may bring its own cause for concern.
Cornerback L'Jarius Sneed returned to the injury report with a knee issue that caused him to miss most of training camp and all of the preseason, and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire did not practice due to an illness. Both of these issues are recurring.
What to make of the Chiefs' Week 2 injury report
The status of KC's two limited superstars is the easiest part of Wednesday's practice. Kelce is working back from injury and Jones is working back from not being on the field with the team since February. Every indication so far has been that Kelce will most likely make his return in Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, barring a setback. It makes all the sense in the world for the team to start by managing his workload as they attempt to keep his knee from swelling.
Jones joked during his press conference on Wednesday that he'd have to find out if he was in "football shape" at practice. It's mildly interesting but not alarming that he also eased back in with limited work.
Sneed was limited in the Chiefs' first two practices of Week 1 before being a full participant in the final practice of the week, which will be something to seriously monitor as the season goes on. Sneed reverting to a limited role early this week isn't ideal, but the rest of the week will be even more telling. The Chiefs could be planning on a lower-rep routine for Sneed, potentially being limited in the first two days of practice before being a full participant in Friday's lighter practices. He played 100% of the Chiefs' defensive snaps against the Lions in Week 1, so week-to-week management could become the norm for Sneed in 2023.
Edwards-Helaire's absence is unique, as we don't know the specifics of his illness. The specific concern in Edwards-Helaire's case is that he also missed training camp on July 29 and August 8 with the same designation.
Ultimately, all four of the players who received injury designations on Wednesday will need to be monitored as the week goes on. Kelce's return from injury, Jones's return from a holdout, Sneed's problematic knee and Edwards-Helaire's health can't be completely diagnosed in one practice report, but as the week goes on, we'll begin to see a more clear picture of who will take the field on Sunday.
Read More: Chiefs’ Early Thoughts With Chris Jones Back in the Building
