The Kansas City Chiefs made their final round of roster adjustments before the AFC championship game against the Baltimore Ravens, and the biggest news is the elimination this weekend of one of the team’s wide receivers.
Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney was ruled out Saturday with an updated injury designation: “personal/hip. “Several injuries have kept Toney out of the box since the Dec. 17 game against the New England Patriots. With only the hip injury designation, Toney was listed as a full player in Wednesday’s practice before being limited Thursday and Friday. He was first listed as a suspect on Friday afternoon.
Toney finished the regular season with 27 catches for 169 yards and a touchdown, along with 11 carries for 31 yards. His season was marked by retirements, fallouts and injuries.
On Saturday night, NFL Network’s James Palmer tweeted that Toney’s non-public designation was due to the birth of his first child Saturday night. Palmer wrote that Toney “also suffers from a hip injury that prevents him from going out tomorrow. “
The Chiefs also formed two practice rosters Saturday, adding Mike Pennel and cornerback Keith Taylor to the defense. Pennel played in three regular-season games and any of the playoffs for the Chiefs, culminating in a 40-point performance against the Buffalo Bills in the absence of a defensive takeover of Derrick Nnadi, who did not play in Buffalo and was placed on injured reserve Saturday. Pennel played 52% of the defensive snaps compared to the Bills without Nnadi. Matt Dickerson’s defensive takeover played 16 more snaps in Buffalo yet wasn’t raised Saturday, meaning the Chiefs will play Sunday’s game with 3 or 4 true defensive offenses: Chris Jones, Tershawn Wharton, Pennel and Neil Farrell, rarely activated.
Taylor also posed against the Bills, but didn’t participate in any snaps.
The Chiefs will now officially be without Toney, Nnadi (IR), starting left guard Joe Thuney, wide receiver Skyy Moore (IR) and offense against Prince Tega Wanogho (IR) on Sunday.
Running back Isiah Pacheco, linebacker Willie Gay and guard Mike Edwards were deemed questionable Friday.
Joshua Brisco is the editor and publisher of Arrowhead Report in SI. com, the Kansas City Chiefs. Follow @jbbrisco.