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Chiefs welcome Smith-Schuster, Pacheco and Omenihu back to training field after injuries
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Chiefs welcome Smith-Schuster, Pacheco and Omenihu back to training field after injuries

KANSAS CITY, MO. (AP) — The Chiefs got three key players back from injuries ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Buffalo, with wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster joining running back Isiah Pacheco and linebacker Charles Omenihu on the practice squad.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Smith-Schuster has a chance to play in the important matchup between the undefeated Chiefs and the Bills. He has been out since Week 7 after hurting his hamstring in the opening minutes of the win over San Francisco.

“We’ll see as we get into practice,” Reid said. “If it was up to him, he’s back.”

Smith-Schuster’s injury, combined with earlier injuries to wide receivers Marquise Brown and Rashee Rice, were big reasons why the Chiefs traded the draft pick to Tennessee to acquire DeAndre Hopkins. While they have similar skill sets, Smith-Schuster and Hopkins also have some different talents and have a chance to see the field at the same time on Sunday.

As for Pacheco and Omenihu, Reid said it was “unlikely” they would play in their first match after rejoining training.

Pacheco broke his fibula against Cincinnati in Week 2 and required surgery. The initial timeline called for him to return in six to eight weeks, which made Pacheco arrive just in time. But the Chiefs aren’t desperate for Kareem Hunt to return to the backfield with him playing so well, as he was essentially signed on the bench when Pacheco went down.

Hunt has touched the ball at least 21 times in each of the last five games. And despite having no real offseason or training camp, he rushed for 449 yards and five scores and caught 14 passes for 116 yards in his first six games.

The Chiefs hope that adding Pacheco to the backfield in the coming weeks will lighten the load on Hunt and perhaps keep both runners in better shape for long runs. In fact, this might look a lot like the one-two punch that Hunt and Nick Chubb have had the Browns have had for much of the last five years.

“I’m happy for him and I know he’s excited to get back there. I think it’s going to be a very good backfield,” Hunt said. “I think it could be very similar (to Cleveland). I am excited. I’m used to working with other great backs and things like that.

Omenihu had been on the physically unable to perform list since the Chiefs’ defensive end tore an ACL in the AFC championship game in Baltimore. The Chiefs were biding their time until he returned, leaning heavily on George Karlaftis, Mike Danna and Felix Anudike-Uzomah, then added Josh Uche to the pass rush group in a trade with New England.

Omenihu was effective in 11 games for Kansas City last season, racking up seven sacks and forcing two fumbles.

“All these players are different in terms of how they come back from injury,” Chiefs manager Brett Veach told a small group of reporters Wednesday. “They all heal differently. And just the nature, the rehabilitation, the body, and all of that – so they’re very different. Some of these children fell running to the ground. Some of these guys need to get some games. Some of these guys take a few months to do this. Some of these guys take a year to do this job. “There’s a big unknown there.”

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

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