Chiefs Taking Wait-and-See Approach with LB Willie Gay, RG Joe Thuney – Chiefs Digest

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chiefs head coach Andy Reid provided left guard Joe Thuney and defensive end Mike Danna with rest days on Wednesday in hopes of having both players ready to go this weekend at San Francisco.

“Mike Danna won’t practice, although he’s doing better we’re just going to hold him out, and then Thuney fits into that same category with the ankle sprain, so he won’t practice today,” Reid explained.” We’re just monitoring those two guys.”

Thuney suffered his sprained ankle in Sunday’s loss to Buffalo, although he remained in the lineup and played the entire game. Danna returned to the line against the Bills after missing three games with a calf injury.

But it’s two players who don’t appear on the injury report that were of the most interest at Wednesday afternoon’s practice. Linebacker Willie Gay returned to practice after serving a four-game suspension for a violation of the league’s personal conduct policy. Cornerback Trent McDuffie entered his second week of practice after the club designated him to return from injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

Neither Gay nor McDuffie are currently on the Chiefs’ 53-player roster. The Chiefs have a roster exemption for Gay, and he must be returned to the roster by then of the week. The Chief still have up to two weeks for McDuffie to practice before he must be added to the active roster.

Reid said he will see how McDuffie “does as we go,” and used described Gay’s situation in similar fashion.

“We’ll just see how things go here this week,” Reid said. “We’ll see, we’ll just see how it goes, see where he’s at.”

The Chiefs also appear ready to add safety Bryan Cook back to miss as well. The rookie practiced in a limit role on Wednesday, the last step in clearing the league’s concussion protocol. Assuming Cook doesn’t suffer a setback, he should be ready to return against the 49ers.

While the Chiefs had just four players who did not practice or were limited on Wednesday, their Week 7 opponent in San Francisco has a much longer list of injury issues. Five 49ers starters did not practice on Wednesday including former Chiefs cornerback Mooney Ward (groin) as well as defensive tackle Arik Armstead (foot/ankle) and defensive end Samson Ebukam (achilles). Another four players limited, including defensive end Nick Bosa with a groin injury.

Reid also on Wednesday addressed the statuses of tight end Blake Bell and offensive tackle Lucas Niang. Bell started the season on injured reserve with a hip injury while Niang remains on the physically unable to perform list after knee surgery. Reid says it’s unlikely either player will return to practice before the team’s bye in Week 8.

“Most likely it will be after the bye but somewhere after the bye,” Reid said. “They are getting better, we just have to see how it goes.”

Chiefs injury report

Did not practice: LG Joe Thuney (ankle), DE Mike Danna (calf) and CB Rashad Fenton (hamstring)
Limited participation: S Bryan Cook (concussion)
Full participation: CB L’Jarius Sneed (knee), K Harrison Butker (left ankle), WR Mecole Hardman (heel) and RG Trey Smith (pectoral)

49ers injury report

Did not practice: DT Arik Armstead (foot/ankle), DE Samson Ebukam (achilles), S Talanoa Hufanga (concussion), RT Mike McGlinchey (calf) and CB Mooney Ward (groin)
Limited participation: DE Nick Bosas (groin), DE Drake Jackson (knee), S Jimmie Ward (hand) and LT Trent Williams (ankle)
Full participation: LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (knee), TE Tyler Kroft (knee) and TE Charlie Woerner (shoulder)