KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs placed wide receiver Skyy Moore on injured reserve Monday, ending what had been a disappointing second season for the New Kensington native who was a 2022 second-round draft pick.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid said earlier in the day that Moore had some swelling in his knee, which caused him to play limited snaps during Sunday’s 27-17 win in New England. But in the time that he was on the field, Moore once again fumbled the ball away after a catch, only to be bailed out by a defensive holding penalty that gave Kansas City the ball back.
The Chiefs, who improved to 9-5 with the win over the Patriots, were hopeful that Moore could improve upon a rookie season in which he caught 22 passes for 250 yards but began to show promise late in the season and into the playoffs.
Instead, Moore caught just 21 passes for 244 yards and a touchdown while ceding playing time to other wide receivers.
The Chiefs have struggled to get consistent production from their pass-catchers all season, although rookie Rashee Rice has emerged as a potential star. Marquez Valdes-Scantling has had crucial dropped passes and has failed to produce a return on the $11 million he is making this season, while Kadarius Toney continues to make costly mental mistakes in games.
The latest involving Toney, whose offside penalty cost the Chiefs a go-ahead TD the prior week against Buffalo, came when his dropped pass was intercepted by the Patriots on Sunday. The same thing happened to him in Week 1 against Detroit.
Reid said that Richie James, who has been excellent as a punt returner, could see more playing time at wide receiver after playing just a couple of snaps in New England. The Chiefs also get Justyn Ross off the exempt list this week; he had been there after a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal-conduct policy, and he could take Moore’s place on the 53-man roster.
“We’ll have to see on Ross just to where that goes,” Reid said. “I’ll get with (general manager Brett) Veach today, and we’ll go through all of that. Richie, though, has got to play more than two snaps, so that’s my responsibility on that. I didn’t have him in on enough stuff. He’s a good football player, though.”
The Chiefs play the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday. They are two games back of Baltimore for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
