Nick Foles To Start For Chiefs In Week 9
- With Alex Smith banged up, Chiefs coach Andy Reid announced that Nick Foles will get the start on Sunday. The fourth-year Chiefs starter is symptom-free, according to Reid, who maintains the 32-year-old passer did not suffer a concussion. Foles has started 35 games in his five-year career, with the first six of those coming for the Reid-coached Eagles in 2012. The then-rookie went 1-5 in those starts. Against the Colts Sunday, Foles ignited Kansas City’s deep passing game, completing 3-of-4 passes of at least 21 yards. Smith’s 5-for-17 by that measure this season.
Practice Squad Updates: 11/2/16
Here are today’s practice squad moves.
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: TE Nic Jacobs
Chicago Bears
- Signed: OL Williams Poehls
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: TE Connor Hamlett
Denver Broncos
- Signed: RB Terrell Watson
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: RB Brandon Burks (via Packersnews.com)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: OL Zach Sterup
- Signed: OL Joe Cheek
- Cut: CB Tyler Patmon (Twitter link via Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star)
Chances Jamaal Charles Returns This Season Increasing?
Jamaal Charles underwent his third knee surgery in the past five years today, but the procedure raised the Chiefs’ hopes their all-time leading rusher can return this season.
The Dr. James Andrews-performed surgery went well, so much so Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets the ninth-year running back has a shot to come back and help the Chiefs in the 2017 portion of their 2016 campaign.
This is likely contingent on the team being in playoff contention by the time Charles is eligible to come off Kansas City’s IR in Week 17. Advancing to the playoffs in 2013 and ’15, and being knocked out of the 2014 race in Week 17, the Chiefs have been in contention in the season’s final week in each of Andy Reid‘s three seasons in Missouri. With the team having won its past three and being one of three AFC West outfits with two losses, Kansas City is heading down that road again and could certainly use Charles if he’s able.
Charles will turn 30 days before the Chiefs-Chargers New Year’s Day tilt and has not been healthy since tearing his ACL in October of last year. He underwent the additional knee surgery today as an exploratory measure after swelling prevented the two-time All-Pro from suiting up in Week 8. According to Chiefs head trainer Rick Burkholder (via KCChiefs.com), Charles experienced pain in both knees after the Raiders game less than three weeks ago.
However, the optimism should obviously be contained since Charles has not recovered from an ACL injury 13 months ago and has two ACL tears on his record since 2011. Spencer Ware has filled in remarkably well as a starter, just as Charles did when he commandeered the job from Larry Johnson in 2009. Ware’s averaging 5.0 yards per carry, has 824 yards from scrimmage and has started all seven of Kansas City’s contests.
Charles profiles as a cap casualty in 2017 since he’s due $7MM in nonguaranteed money for a team that stands to possess one of the tightest budgets come March.
Could Knile Davis Return To Chiefs?
- Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News wouldn’t be surprised if Knile Davis landed back with the Chiefs (Twitter link). The organization placed running back Jamaal Charles on the injured reserve earlier this evening, and they signed Bishop Sankey to compete with Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West. Davis, meanwhile, was cut by the Jets after having been claimed only hours before.
[SOURCE LINK]
Chiefs Work Out Trent Richardson, Three Others
- Besides signing Bishop Sankey, the Chiefs also worked out running backs Trent Richardson and Vick Ballard, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter). Caplan tweets that the team also worked out defensive end Rakim Cox and wideout Marcus Johnson.
[SOURCE LINK]
Chiefs Cut Sio Moore
Sio Moore‘s tenure in Kansas City has ended without him playing a single game. According to Terez A. 
Paylor of the The Kansas City Star (via Twitter), the Chiefs have waived the veteran linebacker. Moore originally signed with the organization in early October.
It hasn’t been the easiest year for the 26-year-old. Moore was arrested in late January for reckless driving, and he played only four games for the Colts this season before getting cut. The former third-rounder played in 16 games for the Colts between 2015 and 2016, collecting 43 tackles. Prior to his tenure in Indianapolis, Moore was a consistent contributor to the Raiders defense. In two seasons with the team, Moore averaged 70 tackles, nearly four sacks, and one forced fumble per season.
Moore was serving as the team’s fourth inside linebacker, playing behind Ramik Wilson, Derrick Johnson, and D.J. Alexander. Earlier today, the team released linebacker Sam Barrington and promoted linebacker Terrance Smith from the practice squad.
Parker Ehinger To Miss Rest Of Season
- The Chiefs have promoted linebacker Terrance Smith from the practice squad to the active roster, according to his agent (on Twitter). Smith originally joined the organization as an undrafted free agent out of Florida State. Meanwhile, to make room on the roster, the team has released linebacker Sam Barrington (via Greg Auman on Twitter). Barrington has only been active for two games this season.
- More bad news for the Chiefs on the injury front. ESPN’s Adam Caplan tweets that starting left guard Parker Ehinger will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL. A fourth-round pick in this past year’s draft, Ehinger started four of his five games this season.
[SOURCE LINK]
Practice Squad Updates: 11/1/16
Here are today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Zaviar Gooden, TE Brian Leonhardt
- Cut: T Martin Wallace
Baltimore Ravens
- Cut: RB Stephen Houston
Chicago Bears
- Cut: OT Arturo Uzdavinis
Cleveland Browns
- Cut: WR Mitch Mathews
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: LB Terrance Smith
New England Patriots
- Signed: OG Chase Farris, TE Austin Traylor
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: LB Lamar Louis
- Cut: DL Royce LaFrance
New York Jets
- Signed: OT Jesse Davis, WR Myles White
- Cut: C Kyle Friend, LB Reshard Cliett
San Diego Chargers
- Signed: LB James Burgess
- Cut: WR Kevin Norwood
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: S Vinnie Sunseri
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR George Farmer
- Cut: QB Joel Stave, FB Julian Howsare
Chiefs Place Jamaal Charles On IR
For the second straight year, Jamaal Charles‘ season has been cut short. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter), the Chiefs running back has been placed on the injured reserve. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Charles will need surgery on his injured knee. The veteran has been battling knee issues all season as he attempted to come back from a torn ACL. Charles would be eligible to return to the Chiefs in Week 17.
The last we heard, Charles was visiting Dr. James Andrews for a checkup on his knee. The running back has been limited over the past couple of weeks due to a swollen knee. ESPN’s Ed Werder tweets that neither the team nor Dr. Andrew could pinpoint the source of Charles’ knee pain, but there must have been enough concern to place the veteran on the injured reserve.
The 29-year-old has played only three games this season, compiling 40 rushing yards and one touchdown on 12 carries. Charles also had a shortened season in 2015 thanks to a torn ACL, but the running back still managed to rush for 364 yards and four touchdowns in five games. The veteran has rushed for 7,260 yards during his nine-year career, which is the best in franchise history. The Chiefs could clear $7MM of cap space by cutting the running back following this season, and some, including Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com (via Twitter), believe Charles’ career could be over.
The Chiefs have relied on Spencer Ware in Charles’ absence, and the third-year player has rewarded the team with more than five yards per carry. However, the 24-year-old suffered a concussion during this weekend’s win over the Colts, forcing the team to play third-string running back Charcandrick West. The team signed Bishop Sankey off of the Patriots practice squad earlier today, and they may promote one of Darrin Reaves and Zac Brooks from the practice squad if Ware can’t play this weekend.
Chiefs To Release LB Sam Barrington
The Chiefs are slated to release linebacker Sam Barrington, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). His release will make room for the newly-acquired Bishop Sankey.
Barrington was dropped by the Packers prior to the 53-man deadline this year. The Chiefs moved quickly to pick him up but he did not have much of an impact for them this year, appearing in two games without an official statistic.
In 2015, Barrington’s season ended during Week 1 when he suffered a major foot injury. In 2014, his last real season, Barrington appeared in 14 games for the Packers with seven starts. The former seventh-round pick racked up 66 total tackles, two pass deflections, and one sack in that season.