8 Chiefs miss Tuesday’s training camp practice; 3 wideouts get hurt

On Tuesday morning, the Kansas City Chiefs began the 17th full practice of their 2023 training camp at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph. As players arrived on the practice field, Arrowhead Pride’s Pete Sweeney reported that six Kansas City players were missing — and one more was not a full practice participant.

Defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton — who also missed Friday’s practice — was once again absent. This is concerning because he began training camp on the Active/PUP list as he rehabbed from last season’s ACL injury. He was activated on August 2 and had worked his way back to significant practice snaps. After Friday’s practice, head coach Andy Reid gave no update on Wharton’s condition — other than saying he would not play in Sunday’s preseason matchup against the New Orleans Saints.

After that game, head coach Andy Reid said that rookie cornerback Nic Jones had “fractured a couple fingers” during the matchup.

“I’ll know more here in the next day or so,” added Reid. “We know it’s broken. Some of those you can just cast up. Other ones you have to have surgery on. We’ll see where that goes.”

Reid also said that cornerback Anthony Witherstone had an injury to his big toe.

“So we got to see how that also goes when we get back,” said Reid.

Witherstone was also absent from Tuesday’s practice.

During practice, rookie wide receiver Nikko Remigio appeared to have his shoulder popped back into place by the medical staff He later rode back up the hill in the front seat of a cart.

Wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette — who left Friday’s practice with an apparent injury — was also reported to have been injured on Tuesday. Finally, wide receiver Justyn Ross jogged to the medical tent with an injury — and later, he also went up the hill in the front seat of a cart.

Starting cornerback L’Jarius Sneed missed his ninth consecutive practice with a sore, inflamed knee. Tight end Jody Fortson missed his 12th after dislocating his shoulder — an injury similar to what Remigio went through on Tuesday. Wide receiver Kadarius Toney has now missed 14 practices following knee surgery.

As he continues his contract holdout, defensive tackle Chris Jones is being charged a non-waivable $50,000 fine for every camp day he misses. Those daily fines began on the first day Jones was scheduled to report to camp: July 21. Now that he’s missed 26 days, Jones’ training camp fines total $1.3 million.

He has also incurred almost $99,000 in fines by missing June’s mandatory minicamp — and did not earn his $500,000 workout bonus after failing to participate in the voluntary portions of the team’s offseason program.

Updates after practice

Before practice, the Chiefs had made it known that two new players were joining the team: linebacker Olakunle Fatukasi and cornerback Duron Lowe. After practice concluded, the head coach said that Fortson was going to have surgery on his injured shoulder — and was being placed on the team’s Reserve/Injured list. That will end his 2023 season. It had also reported that Witherstone was being waived with an injury designation — which will probably end his season, too.

Reid said that Edwards had a swollen ankle and foot after it had been stepped on during Sunday’s game. He said Jones was seeing a specialist about his hand injury from Sunday — “and we’ll see how he does.”

Reid confirmed that Remigio had left practice with a dislocated shoulder. He described Smith-Marsette’s injury as a “groin.” Finally, he said that Ross had been injured in the “knee/hamstring/shin” area — and that the medical staff was working to pin it down more specifically. Pete Sweeney reported that the injury — whatever it is — appeared to be in Ross’ left leg.