The Kansas City Chiefs’ secondary just got slammed with a double whammy right before their massive Sunday rivalry game against the Broncos. Rookie cornerback Mansoor Delane has been officially ruled out with a shoulder injury, and even bigger, veteran cornerback L’Jarius Sneed is headed to injured reserve. Talk about bad timing.
Delane’s Rough Start Gets Worse
Man, Delane just can’t catch a break. The Chiefs’ first-round pick was already added to the injury report on Thursday as a non-participant, after he tweaked his shoulder in Wednesday’s practice. This isn’t a new issue for the kid either, he battled this same shoulder injury back in training camp and even aggravated it during Week 1. It’s a real bummer, especially since he’s been a solid contributor when he *has* played, racking up 27 tackles, an interception, and five passes defensed across his five games this season. Losing a first-rounder, even temporarily, is never easy.
Sneed Out for the Long Haul
And then there’s Sneed, getting sent to IR. This one’s a gut punch. He missed Wednesday’s practice due to personal reasons and a knee issue, but he was actually able to get in some limited work on Thursday and Friday, even snagging a “questionable” designation. For him to go on IR now means he’s going to miss at least the next four games. That’s a huge chunk of the season without a key veteran presence in that secondary, especially against division rivals.
Filling the Gaps
With two big names out, the Chiefs had to make some rapid fire moves. They’re bringing up cornerback Melvin Smith from the practice squad straight onto the active roster. And to shore up the defensive line, defensive end Tyreke Smith also got the call-up from the practice squad to the game-day roster. These guys are getting thrown into the fire, having to step up immediately in a high-stakes rivalry game. It’s going to be a real test of their depth and the coaching staff’s ability to get these new faces ready. You know the Broncos are watching this.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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