The Kansas City Chiefs don’t have much time to prepare for the Black Friday Game against division rivals Las Vegas Raiders in Week 13 of the 2024 NFL season. To make things worse, Andy Reid confirmed that Patrick Mahomes will be missing a key teammate on Friday.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, the Chiefs head coach said kicker Spencer Shrader will be listed as out for the Raiders game. According to Reid, the 25-year-old hurt his hamstring during training on Monday.
This seemed coming after Shrader missed both Tuesday and Wednesday’s practice. His absence is obviously a huge blow for the Chiefs, as he put up important points for Mahomes and company in two starts.
However, Kansas City already seems to have Shrader’s replacement ready. Early in the week, the Chiefs moved fast to bring back a familiar face for Reid and Mahomes as insurance at the kicker position.
Spencer Shrader #40 celebrates with Matt Araiza #14 of the Kansas City Chiefs after kicking the game-winning field goal to beat the Carolina Panthers 30-27 at Bank of America Stadium on November 24, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Chiefs turn to familiar name to help Reid, Mahomes
In a spree of roster moves Tuesday, the Chiefs announced they were signing kicker Nick Wright to their practice squad. With Shrader ruled out, the 28-year-old is expected to kick against the Raiders on Friday.
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This will be Wright’s third stint in Kansas City, where he already played in the 2022 NFL season. That year, started in Weeks 4 and 5 to replace an injured Harrison Butker, going 8-of-8 on extra points and 3-of-4 on field goals.
Pittsburgh poached him off the Chiefs’ practice squad in November, but ended up returning to Kansas City in January after being waived by the Steelers. More than a year later, Wright gets another chance to prove the Chiefs his worth.
Shrader proved valuable for Reid, Mahomes’ Chiefs
Reid and Mahomes will need Wright to step up the way Shrader did in the last two weeks. With Butker heading to Injured Reserve due to knee injury, the Chiefs signed Shrader off the New York Jets’ practice squad, and the player proved them right.
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Shrader went 6-of-6 on extra points and 3-of-3 on field goals in his two starts with the Chiefs. His last game was particularly special, as his 31-yard boot gave Kansas City the upper hand against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
Shrader quickly provided to be helpful for Reid and Mahomes, especially since he had big shoes to fill with Butker out. Now, the Chiefs hope Wright can also give the team some security at the position.
