Kansas City will be without their experienced MIKE linebacker when they take on the Chicago Bears on Sunday, per the team’s final injury report Friday.
Bolton, 23, missed the entire week of practice with an ankle injury he suffered during the Chiefs’ win over Jacksonville last week. Drue Tranquill will wear the green dot on his helmet in Bolton’s place. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo mentioned Thursday that he’s confident in Tranquill leading the defense.
“We’re very fortunate we’ve got Drue,” Spagnuolo declared. “He’s played linebacker before; he’s been in the system now a little bit. He’s got a couple of games under his belt. You guys would have noticed in both games that we played, Drue, there were certain series in the first half for Drue to go out and be the MIKE, and [we] gave Nick some reps off.
“We wanted to do that early because it was early in the season, number one, and the second game, it was because we were in Florida, and we knew that it could get long, and we all wanted to be fresh at the end of the game. I think that will help Drue if he has to step in there and take over for Nick in this one.”
Kansas City will also be without wide receiver and return specialist Richie James, who WILL NOT play after suffering a knee injury last week. Kadarius Toney and Isiah Pacheco are listed on the Chiefs’ depth chart as the team’s backup returnmen. Both of whom are battling injuries of their own.
Toney was limited in practice on Friday after missing practice on Wednesday and Thursday with a sprained toe. Pacheco is dealing with a hamstring contusion but practiced in a limited capacity on Thursday and Friday. Both players are QUESTIONABLE for Sunday.
Linebacker Willie Gay Jr. was the only player limited in practice this week. Gay’s dealing with a quad injury he sustained in Week 2. He had the day off on Wednesday before practicing on Thursday and Friday.
Everyone else practiced in full.
