KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs starting left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. returned to practice Tuesday after missing Sunday’s loss at Cincinnati with a calf injury.
Brown injured his calf while warming up for the showdown with the Bengals, which the Chiefs lost 34-31 to slip from the top seed in the AFC playoff chase.
He was a limited practice participant along with linebacker Anthony Hitchens (knee) and cornerback L'Jarius Sneed (knee).
Right tackle Lucas Niang slid to the left side to replace Brown, but he later left with a left knee injury.
Kansas City coach Andy Reid said after Sunday’s game Niang likely tore his patellar tendon, an injury that would end his season.
Left guard Joe Thuney slid from left guard to replace Niang with Nick Allegretti moving into the offensive line at left guard.
Andrew Wylie started for the sixth time in seven games at right tackle and projects as the starter moving forward with Niang sidelined.
Veteran backup right tackle Mike Remmers, who briefly replaced Niang as the starter early in the season, remains on injured reserve with a back injury.
Remmers has returned from the reserve/COVID-19 list and is “feeling better” and “making progress,” but he’s yet to be designated to return from IR.
Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who suffered a shoulder injury against Pittsrbugh and missed the Cincinnati game, did not practice Tuesday, but coach Andy Reid said there’s a chance he could be available Saturday at Denver in the regular-season finale.
Edwards-Helaire and Niang were the only Chiefs who did not practice with a short week before the Broncos game.
Four Denver players sat out practice Tuesday, including quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (concussion) and former Kansas State standout guard Dalton Risner (elbow). Cornerback Patrick Surtain II (calf) and safety Kareem Jackson (back/shoulder) also missed practice.
Meanwhile, quarterback Drew Lock (throwing shoulder), cornerback Ronald Darby (shoulder), tight end Noah Fant (quad), running backs Melvin Gordon III (thumb/hip) and Javonte Williams (knee), and defensive linemen Shelby Harris (ankle) and Shamar Stephen (quad) were limited practice participants.
