Chiefs get mixed bag of Nick Bolton, Kadarius Toney injury updates

The Kansas City Chiefs are set to welcome back two key offensive contributors Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.

The Kansas City Chiefs won’t quite be at full-strength for Sunday’s matchup with the Green Bay Packers. Given the

team’s comments on Nick Bolton’s injury status, though, the defending Super Bowl champions could have their

complete roster available as the season’s stretch run begins in earnest next week.

Bolton, the Chiefs’ star middle linebacker, won’t play against the Packers in Week 13 as Kansas City plays his return

from a dislocated left wrist with extra caution. He’s on track to play at home versus the Buffalo Bills on December

10th, though, and the Chiefs are getting two key contributors back on the other side of the ball at Lambeau Field

amid his continued absence.

“The Chiefs say they will probably wait a week on LB Nick Bolton. Everybody else — including RB Jerick

McKinnon and WR Kadarius Toney — is expected to play against the Packers,” Pete Sweeney of Arrowhead

Pride reported on Twitter Friday morning.

Assessing Chiefs’ returns and absences vs. Packers

Bolton is the biggest name on the official injury report, but Kansas City’s defense remains well equipped to thrive

without him. Offseason addition Drue Tranquill has already filled in for Bolton as defensive coordinator Steve

Spagnuolo’s top middle linebacker and defensive play-caller seven times this season, with the Chiefs’ much-improved

defense barely missing a beat.

While Tranquill isn’t as effective against the run as Bolton, he’s quietly emerged as one of the best cover linebackers

in football and is hardly afraid to throw his weight around in the run game and as a blitzer. Tranquill enters Week 13

with a team-high 71 tackles, six tackles for loss, three and-a-half sacks and two forced fumbles.

Toney’s return to the field from ankle and hip injuries, meanwhile, is a boon for an offensive attack that finally found

some of its footing in last week’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Earmarked as Patrick Mahomes’ No. 1 receiver

coming into training camp, he’s disappointed this season compared to those sky-high expectations, mostly serving as

a gadget player despite Kansas City’s well-chronicled struggles at wide receiver. Toney has 22 catches for 139 yards

and a touchdown, averaging just 6.3 yards per reception.