Chiefs Sign Ex-Ravens Rookie as Stopgap for Injured Starter

Getty Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid.

The Kansas City Chiefs made two transactions on Monday, August 19 to gain a temporary replacement for injured long snapper James Winchester. The team waived injured offensive lineman McKade Mettauer (MCL) and signed long snapper Randen Plattner, according to Arrowhead Pride’s Pete Sweeney.

Plattner, 24, is an undrafted rookie out of Kansas State. He signed with the Baltimore Ravens on May 3 and was with the team through the start of training camp but was waived on August 11.

According to Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, Winchester suffered an injury to his AC joint during the team’s preseason Week 2 loss to the Detroit Lions on August 17. The team has no backup for Winchester on the roster — aside from tight end Noah Gray who learned to long snap during Saturday’s game — which is why they signed Plattner. The ex-Raven will likely play in Kansas City’s preseason finale against the Chicago Bears, which will give Winchester time to heal before the regular season opener on September 5.

Mettauer, 24, is an undrafted rookie out of Oklahoma. He signed with the Chiefs after the draft and was battling to a be reserve lineman in Kansas City. But his fight came to an end during Week 1 of the preseason when he tore his MCL against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Andy Reid Gives Injury Updates on Key Players

Speaking to the media on August 19, Reid said that injured starters Chris Jones (shoulder), Jawaan Taylor (shoulder), Joe Thuney (torn pec), Justin Reid (quad), and Winchester “should be ready” for Kansas City’s regular-season opener against the Ravens.

As for receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown (sternoclavicular injury), Big Red said his status for Week 1 is still in question.

The Chiefs’ preseason finale against the Bears is on Thursday, August 22. Reid also addressed the team’s current plan for the starters Thursday night.

“As far as the rotation goes for the Bears, I’ll probably sit the starters the way it looks right now, and we’ll have the other guys get out there and play. So we’ll just see how that goes, rep-wise,” Reid said during Monday’s presser.

Reid explained that the coaching staff’s decision to sit the starters in the preseason finale was determined by the amount of reps they received between the start of camp and now.

“I look at the number of plays, between camp and preseason games,” Reid said. “We were up some 50 plays from the year before in camp, so I was able to monitor that and work it in with the preseason games.”

X Users Reacted to Andy Reid’s Injury Updates and Starters’ Playing Time

Users on X — formerly Twitter — reacted to Reid’s injury updates on August 19 and the plan to sit the Chiefs’ starters in the preseason finale.

“Full strength team apart for maybe holywood,” one person wrote. “Hopefully it stays that way. Ravens aren’t gonna get the lions luck and not play against 2 top 10 players in the league.”

“I love that all the backups will get to see some action and appreciate we are not willing to risk the health of a starter,” another person wrote. “I still purchased a front-row seat regardless.”