LB Justin Hilliard signed to Chiefs practice squad | KCSN Daily 12.28
Plus first injury report, KCSN podcasts, quotes and more Chiefs news
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The Chiefs kicked their Wednesday off by signing LB Justin Hilliard to the practice squad. The team released RB/WR Jerrion Ealy from the practice squad on Tuesday and hosted Hilliard and four others for tryouts.
A former Ohio State Buckeye, Hilliard went undrafted following the 2021 NFL draft. He signed with the San Francisco 49ers initially and spent the entire offseason with them. He was released during 53-man roster cuts and claimed by the New York Giants. Hilliard appeared in two games with the Giants in 2021 before he was placed on injured reserve. He was set to return to New York in 2022, but he was suspended for two games due to a violation of the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. The Giants dropped him as a result of his suspension.
While Hilliard has worked out for teams like the Indianapolis Colts and the Arizona Cardinals, he never caught on with a team this season. Now, the 25-year-old linebacker gets a fresh start in Kansas City ahead of the close of the 2022 NFL regular season. He’ll wear jersey No. 42 with the Chiefs.
Here’s a look at what KCSN’s Kent Swanson, Matt Lane, and Craig Stout had to say about Hilliard in their 2021 Draft Guide:
Look for the 2023 KCSN Draft Guide coming in April of 2023.
One On One - Former Chiefs players share mental approach to NFL playoffs:
Former Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Jeff Allen and defensive lineman Mike DeVito go one-on-one to talk about the postseason mindset, the MVP race, and what to expect in the game vs. the Denver Broncos.
Wednesday Injury Report:
Chiefs:
DNP: None.
LP: None.
FP: FB Mike Burton (Groin), TE Noah Gray (Shoulder/Knee), DT Derrick Nnadi (Achilles), RT Andrew Wylie (Hip), and DT Khalen Saunders (Illness).
Broncos
DNP: TE Greg Dulcich (Hamstring), CB K’Waun Williams (Knee), DT DeShawn Williams (NIR), OL Billy Turner (NIR), DL Mike Purcell (Elbow), RB Latavius Murray (NIR), OL Quinn Meinerz (Ribs), DT D.J. Jones (Knee), S Kareem Jackson (NIR), OLB Randy Gregory (Knee), OLB Baron Browning (Back), and OT Calvin Anderson (Ankle).
LP: WR Jerry Jeudy (Ankle), WR Courtland Sutton (Hamstring), LG Dalton Risner (Foot), and WR Kendall Hinton (Hamstring).
FP: None.
Key:
DNP (Did Not Participate), LP (Limited Participant), FP (Full Participant), NIR (Not Injury Related).
Notes:
Remember, the Chiefs are not required to list the practice participation of WR Mecole Hardman until he has been activated to the 53-man roster.
Do you want to learn more about what the Chiefs’ pass rush has done to step up their game in recent weeks? Pick up a paid subscription and click here to read the latest in exclusive KCSN content.
KCSN Update:
KCSN’s BJ Kissel sits down with Carrington Harrison of 610 Sports Radio to talk about his expectations for the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos game on Sunday plus the matchup of the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills on Monday.
Quotable:
“Yeah so, as the week went on, he got a bit tired and sore, and I think that was good. He worked his way through what he needed to get through and now it’s a matter of getting him in a game. So, I presume, unless there’s a setback, I presume he’ll be there (against the Broncos). But, you know, that’s where we’re at right now.” - Andy Reid on Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman’s status
“Well, first and foremost, I’m just going to go ahead and say it, we don’t have rookies anymore. They’ve had enough experience (and) they’ve had enough games under their belt. They’re first year players still but that title ‘rookie,’ we really want to throw that out the window because of the experience and the snaps they have under their belt, the pelts they have on the wall and also just to encourage them to take just a little more ownership and leadership in continuing to grow and mature and be dominate. As December comes around, eventually January (and) eventually February, things are only going to get faster. There is no way to really prepare them for how the speed will change, other than to continue to harp on how you can get better day in and day out and challenge yourself week in and week out to execute on all the details. Mistakes are magnified in the playoffs (and) the speed of the game is a lot faster but they’re ready for it. The best way to have confidence going into the playoffs is to make sure that we finish out this week strong and the next week strong, so they don’t feel like there are any weaknesses going into the playoffs for us.” - Justin Reid on the defensive rookies' mindset heading into the playoffs
Quick Hits:
From Denver: A lot of quarterback news around the AFC West today. Broncos interim HC Jerry Rosburg confirmed that Russell Wilson will remain the starting quarterback in Denver.
From Las Vegas: The Raiders are benching Derek Carr for the final two games of the season in favor of Jarrett Stidham. Carr has an injury guarantee in his contract and Las Vegas clearly wants to leave their options open in regards to trading him this offseason. Have the Chiefs played their last game against Carr as the quarterback of the Raiders? It certainly seems that way.
From NFL Films: Reminder, Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes uses fear to fuel his game speed.
Important dates ahead:
Sunday, Jan. 1 at Noon CT - Week 17: Chiefs vs. Broncos - GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium - Kansas City, Missouri
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