UPDATE: Kansas City Chiefs Place Rookie Cornerback on Injured Reserve

In a disappointing turn of events, the Kansas City Chiefs will now be without their first-round pick from the 2022 NFL Draft for at least four weeks. The team announced on Tuesday they have placed cornerback Trent McDuffie on injured reserve:

We have activated Practice Squad players LB Jack Cochrane & LB Elijah Lee.

We have signed K Matt Ammendola, CB Dicaprio Bootle, & WR Corey Coleman to the Practice Squad.

We have placed CB Trent McDuffie on Reserve/Injured.

We released S James Wiggins from the practice squad. pic.twitter.com/R8lZgvB02e
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) September 13, 2022

The move comes following early reports that McDuffie was likely to miss Week 2 with a hamstring strain, but initial optimistic notes struck by the Chiefs indicated McDuffie might not be gone long. Perhaps the team is playing it safe with their 21st-overall pick.

McDuffie sustained his injury in a Week 1 blowout of the Arizona Cardinals after playing 32 snaps, sparking complaints about the turf from head coach Andy Reid. The Chiefs face the Los Angeles Chargers this Thursday in an absolutely pivotal AFC West divisional matchup, so the decreased depth at defensive back comes at a terrible time. The Chiefs will roll with cornerbacks Rashad Fenton, L'Jarius Snead, and Jaylen Watson as they attempt to slow down quarterback Justin Herbert and last year's fifth-ranked scoring offense.