Chiefs could be without offensive star for Thursday's season opener

Already facing the possibility of being without a key member of their defense due to the holdout of defensive lineman Chris Jones, the Kansas City Chiefs may also be without one of their top offensive players for Thursday's season opener against the Detroit Lions.

Tight end Travis Kelce had to leave practice on Tuesday with what head coach Andy Reid is calling a hyperextended knee. As of now, his status for the season opener is in doubt. 

Any sort of injury to Kelce would be a major development for the Chiefs because outside of Patrick Mahomes there might not be a more important player on the roster given the way the Chiefs play. Kelce is not only Mahomes' go-to target in the passing game, he is the safety net for Mahomes when things break down and they have to improvise on the fly. 

He caught a career-high 110 passes for 1,338 yards during the 2022 season, while also hauling in 12 touchdowns. 

Blake Bell and Noah Gray are the other two tight ends on the Chiefs' depth chart. Neither one would provide the type of mismatch and big play potential that Kelce does. 

With Jones already missing from the Chiefs' lineup on the defensive side, and now the possibility of Kelce not being available — or available at less than 100 percent — that would certainly open the door for the Lions to open the season with a significant statement.

Detroit is entering the year with some serious expectations for the first time in years as they look to build on the momentum that started to roll in the second half of last season. Getting a win on a national stage, on the road, against the defending Super Bowl champions would be a huge confidence boost to everybody involved with the team and show that maybe these really are not the same old Lions. The potential absences of Jones and Kelce on the Kansas City side certainly leave the door open for that.