The Kansas City Chiefs completed their final practice of the week on Thursday leading up to their AFC divisional round game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Chiefs HC Andy Reid addressed reporters after practice, giving updates on four injured players. He started with WR Mecole Hardman, who missed his third practice this week on Thursday.
“So, really the only person that didn’t practice was Mecole (Hardman),” Reid said. “We backed off of him just to see if we couldn’t get him back going this week. He’ll most likely be listed as out going forward. It’s not for lack of effort, it’s not (anything else), it’s just the injury. So, he’s working through it.”
This sounds more like they could be shutting Hardman down beyond the divisional round game. His abdomen/pelvis injury is clearly not responding the way the team and he had hoped, despite their best efforts to get him back on the field.
As for DE Frank Clark, who has been limited by a groin injury for the past two practice sessions, Reid was much more optimistic about his ability to play on Saturday.
“I just talked to him, so I can tell you this hot off the press,” Reid said of Clark. “He actually feels very good and he practiced well today, and really yesterday too.”
With RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire and TE Jody Fortson being designated to return to practice from injured reserve this past week, there was a question of whether they’d be activated to the 53-man roster for the Jaguars game. While Reid hadn’t yet had his final discussion with Rick Burkholder and Brett Veach, he indicated it was unlikely that either player would be activated for the divisional round.
“I’ll go back and talk to (Brett) Veach about that,” Reid said. “But probably not, I’d tell you.”
Should the Chiefs advance to the AFC Championship Game, they’ll both have a chance to return to the fold.