After an exciting camp and preseason, the Kansas City Chiefs will start the 2025 season without the benefit of two of its most exciting weapons. All the pressure is on Patrick Mahomes with Rashee Rice suspended for the next six weeks and standout rookie Jalen Royals set to miss at least the first week of the season. Both are frustrating losses that will force Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown into an early spotlight. While both players were expected to take a step forward, neither has the capability of Rice.
Looking at the rest of the Kansas City roster and early injury report, another name stands out that could miss time. Defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott is dealing with an injury before Week 1. It has kept the defender from being able to fully practice with Norman-Lott and Royals, the only limited players listed on the first report. It is a clean update that gives Kansas City the bulk of its roster healthy to start the season.
Chiefs Depth Defender in Danger of Missing Week 1 After Late Camp Injury
Midway through August, Norman-Lott suffered an ankle injury that has appeared to hamper the depth piece throughout much of the last month. It is impossible to believe that this is a simple issue that is going to go away in the next two days. Either the Chiefs are being extra careful and Norman-Lott is saving everything for the game, or the defender is going to be a surprise inactive who is still hampered by the late-summer injury.
If that is the case, the Chiefs are going to see their depth instantly tested after parting ways with Mike Pennel. The veteran defender had a well-covered reaction to his Kansas City exit and went so far as to sign a practice squad deal with the Bengals. While it appeared to be the right move at the time, it does leave the Chiefs potentially short-handed if Norman-Lott is forced to be inactive in Week 1.
Jerry Tillery is going to become incredibly important for Kansas City if this is the case, as the only listed backup on the inside. It is supposed to be a four-man group of Chris Jones, Derrick Nnadl, Tillery, and Norman-Lott. Missing one piece from this group will likely result in a practice squad elevation with the Chiefs, missing the needed size from the edge position to shift to the inside.
Regardless, it is a concern that the defender isn’t practicing, as we are 48 hours away from the season opener in Brazil. One that is going to set an incredibly important tone for the rest of the season. Kansas City cannot afford to give Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers an ounce of confidence in what has been the Chiefs’ division over the last decade.
Whether or not Norman-Lott is on the field in Week 1, the Chiefs are going to be favored and deserve a healthy level of respect as they continue to set the pace for the rest of the league.
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‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source kckingdom.com ’
