Chiefs look like they’ll have Jones, Kelce against Jaguars

The Kansas City Chiefs are trending toward having their two All-Pros on Sunday in Jacksonville.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid said tight end Travis Kelce, who hyperextended his knee in practice last week, has been progressing in his recovery. Just hours later, the club also announced that defensive tackle Chris Jones had agreed to a new one-year deal that should end his holdout and put him in line to play against the Jaguars.

“Chris is an elite player in this league, and over the last seven years, he’s really developed into a leader on our team,” Chiefs general manager

Brett Veach said in a statement. “He’s been instrumental to our success and Super Bowl championship runs and it was a priority for us to keep him in a Chiefs uniform.”

Kelce hurt his knee in the Chiefs’ final practice before Thursday night’s loss to Detroit. Tests showed there was no ligament damage, only a bone bruise and some swelling. Reid and trainer Rick Burkholder ultimately made him inactive.

“Travis is getting better,” Reid said. “We’ll see how he does the rest of today or tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”

The Chiefs could certainly use their star tight end after their offense fizzled in the 21-20 loss to the Lions.

Without his security blanket, reigning NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes was just 21 of 39 for 226 yards with two touchdown passes and an interception. The pick bounced off the hands of Kadarius Toney, who had several of the eight drops by Kansas City receivers, and was returned 50 yards for a touchdown by rookie Brian Branch.

“We’ve all got to do better. That’s the thing I took out of this,” Reid said, “whether it’s coaching, it’s playing, the O-line, the D-line — we can all take something out of this game and get better at it. There were spurts of good and there were spurts of not-so good, and we were in position to win the game. Normally we do that and we did not.”

Watching it all transpire was Jones, who had taken his contract holdout into the regular season and wound up watching the opener alongside his agents, Jason and Michael Katz, from a suite inside Arrowhead Stadium.

The Chiefs did not disclose the terms of his new deal, but a source told The Associated Press no years were added to his four-year, $80 million deal due to expire. The person, speaking to AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the deal, said it instead includes incentives to substantially increase what Jones will make this season.

Jones forfeited a $500,000 workout bonus, accumulated $50,000 in fines for each day missed of mandatory minicamp and training camp, and lost about $1.1 million in his first game check for sitting against Detroit.

Watson loses protector

Cleveland’s starting right tackle Jack Conklin kept Deshaun Watson from harm. He couldn’t protect himself. The two-time All-Pro sustained a “major” left knee injury in the first half of Sunday’s win over Cincinnati and will miss the remainder of the season, a major blow for the Browns.

Conklin, who returned last season from a severe injury to his right knee, tore two ligaments when he was inadvertently rolled up on by Bengals end Trey Hendrickson at the end of a pass play in the first half of the Browns’ 24-3 season-opening win.

Conklin was finishing off his block when Hendrickson hit him from the side after being pushed down by Browns left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. Conklin was carted off the field and tests Monday confirmed the diagnosis.

The Browns signed the 29-year-old Conklin to a four-year, $60 million contract extension in December.

Bills opt against Hamlin

Damar Hamlin was listed among Buffalo’s inactives Monday night, so he did not play in a regular-season game for the first time since going into cardiac arrest when the Bills opened the season against the New York Jets. Hamlin played in three exhibition games this summer and made the roster as a backup. Listed as the fourth safety on Buffalo’s depth chart, Hamlin is expected to be limited to mostly special teams roles barring injuries to starters Jordan Poyer or Micah Hyde. The 25-year-old was starting in place of an injured Hyde against the Bengals on Jan. 2 when his heart stopped as a result of commotio cordis . . . Saints defensive end Payton Turner, who left Sunday’s season-opening victory over Tennessee with a foot injury, “probably” needs surgery that could sideline him for an extended period, coach Dennis Allen said. Turner, a 2021 firstround draft choice out of Houston, did not start the opener, but was a prominent reserve behind ends Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson.