Chiefs: Pop and Omenihu Return

Laddie Morse

I will say right up front, that it appears to me that both of these players are coming back too soon. If they suffer a relapse, what then? What will they do then? Are they lost for the season?

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Here’s what HC Andy Reid said about Isiah Pacheco, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Charles Omenihu on Monday.

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(0:33)

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Looks like WR JuJu Smith-Schuster is set to return earlier than Pop or Omenihu.

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JuJu Smith-Schuster

With the return of JuJu Smith-Schuster, the Chiefs wide receiving core will be as healthy as it’s been all season. JuJu hasn’t appeared in a game for the Chiefs since week 7 when he pulled a hamstring muscle vs the 49ers, according to draftsharks.com. With DeAndre Hopkins leading the WR room as WR#1, Smith-Schuster should be a solid #2. In fact, if JuJu is a go for this Sunday vs the Bills, the Chiefs could have one of the best Wide Receiving groups in the NFL. Before JuJu came to the Chiefs he was having an impressive career with the Steelers.

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JuJu also had a very good year for K.C. in 2022 when he had 78 catches and 933 yards gained through the air. Let’s not forget that JuJu Smith-Schuster is only 27 years old and he has a birthday coming up in 9 days.

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Isiah Pacheco

I may be more conservative than Andy Rid is but the idea of Isiah Pacheco coming back after breaking his fibula in week two of this season, is bizarre to me. Sure, it’s a possibility that he could be a fast healer, he’s fast at everything else. However, isn’t that what got him into this situation in the first place?

Here are the Chiefs Running Back Snaps counts so far this year:

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The day that Isiah Pacheco broke his fibula was nearly two month ago on September 15th. Two months for a broken leg to heal? I have no frame of reference for a broken leg but that seems like it’s way to short a period of time to me.

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Charles Omenihu

Omenihu is trying to make his way back from an ACL injury he suffered on January 28th of this year, in the AFC Championship game vs the Ravens in Baltimore. A long time ago, it took me six months to recover from my ACL operation. Now days, it’s an entirely different timeline. From MyHealth.Alberta.com comes this:

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“Most people can jog in about 4 months and run or

cycle in about 4 to 6 months. You may need to wear

a knee brace when you play sports. If you are very

physically active in your job, it may take 4 to 6 months.

But it will be several months before you have complete

use of your knee. It may take as long as 6 months to a

year before your knee is ready for hard physical work or

certain sports.”

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“6 months to a year”… and we are in that time frame. I was hoping Omenihu could return in late December but that;s my timeline for his recovery. I know that athlete’s are always eager to get back from an injury so there’s that to consider. Omenihu was a beast on this strip sack of Lamar Jackson:

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(0:12)

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i know that since Omenihu was once with the 49ers that he was eager to get back in time to face them, not necessarily during the Super Bowl, but in week 7 of this year. That couldn’t happen, but now the Chiefs are considering using him this weekend vs the Buffalo Bills. Could the Chiefs use a healthy Omenihu? Absolutely. However, the question is whether or not he’s actually all healed up?

David Bell have noticed that most players aren’t 100% back to their old selves until a year (a whole season) has passed by. We’ll have to wait and see if Omenihu can make an impact… but I’m not betting on it.

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Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne

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