The Kansas City Chiefs can’t seem to avoid the injury bug. The team is placing tight end Peyton Hendershot (calf) on injured reserve and also signed kicker Matthew Wright to the practice squad due to Spencer Shrader picking up a hamstring injury.
The two-time defending Super Bowl champions traded a conditional late-round draft pick to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for Hendershot on August 27. He appeared in five games this season but played primarily on special teams.
Shrader was signed to Kansas City’s active roster from the New York Jets practice squad in the wake of Harrison Butker suffering a knee injury during Kansas City’s Week 11 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Against the Carolina Panthers in Week 12, Shrader made all three of his field goal attempts, including the game-winning 31-yarder as time expired to help the Chiefs claim their 10th victory of the season.
Chiefs Made Flurry of Transactions Ahead of Black Friday Game
The transactions on November 26 didn’t stop there for the Chiefs. The team also waived defensive Cam Thomas and terminated the practice squad contracts for defensive end Truman Jones and offensive lineman Lucas Niang. Kansas City also signed tight end Baylor Cupp to the practice squad.
The two-time defending Super Bowl champions traded a seventh-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for Thomas on August 27. He was active for four games this season and played 22% of the team’s special teams snaps in those games, per Pro Football Reference.
Niang was a third-round pick of the Chiefs in 2020. He started nine games for the team in 2022 but was demoted in 2023 after the team added Jawaan Taylor during the offseason.
Jones went undrafted in 2023 but was signed by Kansas City in May 2023. After being waived in August 2023, Jones was signed to the Chiefs’ practice squad and was a member of the practice squad until his release on Tuesday.
Roster Cuts Make Room for Isiah Pacheco, Charles Omenihu
Removing Hendershot and Thomas from the active roster freed up space for two of Kansas City’s returning players: running back Isiah Pacheco (fibula, IR) and defensive end Charles Omenihu (ACL, IR).
Pacheco and Omenihu had their 21-day practice windows opened in Week 11 but have yet to be activated from IR. With two weeks of practice under their belts now, both are poised to be activated from IR in time for Kansas City’s Black Friday game against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders.
Users on X, formerly Twitter, reacted to the flurry of transactions made by the Chiefs on November 26.
“Shame for camp darling Truman Jones, hope there is a path back to KC in later weeks,” one person wrote. “End of the line for Lucas Niang and 3rd round pick that never could get right after the Covid Season and the injury in his sophomore campaign. Will see if Cameron Thomas makes it back.”
“Wait, Lucas Niang was an option??? Why not try him? Thought he played better than our two young guys that have played this year,” another person wrote.
“I know injuries are just part of it, but could you imagine if everyone was healthy?!” another person wrote.
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Chiefs Place 3rd-Year TE on Injured Reserve: Report