Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Chiefs beef up defensive front with practice squad elevations for Bills game

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Charles Goldman | Last updated 1/20/24

The Kansas City Chiefs have made an effort to beef up their defensive front for the upcoming divisional-round game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night.

The Chiefs are without top run-stuffer Derrick Nnadi, who suffered an elbow injury during the wild-card round of the playoffs. He has been ruled out for the divisional round with the injury. As a result, the team has sought to make a pair of practice squad elevations to help compensate for his loss.

The team announced on Saturday that they'd elevated NT Mike Pennel and DT Matt Dickerson from the practice squad via standard elevation.

We have activated Practice Squad players DT Matt Dickerson and NT Mike Pennel via Standard Elevation. pic.twitter.com/vySxRJ8v5Z
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 20, 2024

Andy Reid said as much would happen with Pennel, who he tabbed as a direct replacement for Nnadi in this one. Pennel has seven total tackles, a tackle for loss, and two stops in about 60 defensive snaps this season. He's appeared in four games since returning to Kansas City at the midseason point.

Dickerson has appeared in 12 games for the Chiefs this season. He began the year on the 53-man roster, but he has been valuable depth since joining the practice squad. He has 15 total tackles, a tackle for loss, and six stops on over three times the snaps that Pennel has played this season.

Overall, these two might be better suited to play in this game against the Bills as Nnadi had become less effective as the season wore on.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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