Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry is not expected to make his debut Sunday against the Oakland Raiders, per a report from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
#Chiefs S Eric Berry, who finally returned to practice this week after a months-long battle with a heel injury, is not expected to play today, source said. He hasn’t been ruled out for Sunday yet and had no setbacks in his return.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 2, 2018
The Chiefs have maintained Berry, 29, has had an issue with his heel since the preseason. A report never confirmed nor denied said Berry has what is called a “Haglund’s deformity.”
Berry practiced for the first time since training camp on Wednesday, and although he practiced all week, he was officially listed by the team as “limited” each day. The Chiefs gave him a designation of questionable headed into Sunday’s game.
“He did some good things,” Reid explained Friday. “[He] moved around pretty good. We’ll see how it goes.”
Reid said Berry even worked in the first team defense.
“He did jump in with the ones,” Reid said. “A few snaps, though. We’ll see how it goes.”
Berry last played for the Chiefs in Week 1 of the 2017 NFL season, when the Chiefs defeated the New England Patriots, 42-27. Berry ruptured his left Achilles tendon during the game. As a reminder, the “soreness” Berry has this season that has kept him out more than 100 days is in his right heel, the same heel in which he had soreness in the last training camp.
If there were ever a game in which there is little reason to rush Berry back, it’s this one against the Oakland Raiders, who are 2-9 this regular season.
The Chiefs have been cautious with Berry all season, and they likely feel there is no reason to rush him back now.