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According to a report from the Kansas City Star’s Herbie Teope, five Kansas City Chiefs players are not expected to play on Saturday night during the team’s preseason opener against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Chiefs players not expected to play tonight are LB Willie Gay (recently on concussion protocol), WR Antonio Callaway (bone bruise), OL Kyle Long (knee, PUP list), OL Mike Remmers (back), OL Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (hand).
— Herbie Teope (@HerbieTeope) August 14, 2021
These players include linebacker Willie Gay Jr., guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, wide receiver Antonio Callaway and offensive linemen Mike Remmers and Kyle Long.
The Athletic’s Nate Taylor reported that defensive end Taco Charlton is not expected to play, either.
None of these players would be surprise scratches; all have missed practice time in recent days.
Later, Teope reported that defensive end Frank Clark and Derrick Nnadi were not warming up. So it’s likely we won’t see either of them on the field.
Chiefs warming up. Don't see Derrick Nnadi (hip flexor), Frank Clark (hamstring) out there.
— Herbie Teope (@HerbieTeope) August 15, 2021
None of these reports include rookie linebacker Malik Herring — but he will not see the field on Saturday night, either. Like Long, Herring is on one of the team’s offseason injury lists. He is expected to miss the entire season with a knee injury he sustained during Senior Bowl practice.
It had been hoped that Gay would be off the concussion protocol before this game. While he was on the field during Thursday’s practice, he only worked with trainers.
Tight end Evan Baylis (ankle), defensive tackle Alex Okafor (hamstring) and cornerback BoPete Keyes (dislocated finger) missed practice time on Thursday, but have not be reported as unavailable. So it’s possible that they will be able to play against the 49ers — but if they are, it’s likely their use will be limited.