Chiefs HC Andy Reid gives updates on Charles Omenihu, BJ Thompson after Clyde Edwards-Helaire's return

Kansas City Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire will return to practice on Thursday, but it might be a while before we see two defenders return from reserve lists.

Edwards-Helaire saw his 21-day practice window begin on Wednesday after a stay on the Reserve/Non-Football Illness list. During that period, Edwards-Helaire can practice with the team and be activated to the 53-man roster.

Chiefs HC Andy Reid spoke about Edwards-Helaire's return ahead of practice on Thursday.

"Yeah, so we'll practice him today with the scout team," Reid said. "Give him some reps there and let him just kind of get back in the swing of things. He's in good shape. He's been working out, so just get him back into the football part."

The decision on Edwards-Helaire prompted questions about other players on reserve lists for the reigning Super Bowl champions. Reid was asked about DE Charles Omenihu, who is on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list as he recovers from an ACL tear he suffered in the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens last year.

"I think that'll be a little bit here," Reid said. "Yeah."

It's reasonable to expect that Omenihu could see his practice window open shortly after the bye week. Omenihu previously hinted at returning against the Las Vegas Raiders, who the team plays in Week 8 and Week 12. He also recently indicated on a podcast that he will reveal his return in Episode 6 of his YouTube series "The Journey."

As for DE BJ Thompson, who suffered cardiac arrest as a result of a seizure during a team meeting this offseason, Reid says that Thompson is trending upward. He's on the Non-Football Illness list, just as Edwards-Helaire was, and remains around the team while he recovers.

"Yeah, again, the doctors are monitoring him," Reid said. "He's doing good, to answer your question, he's doing good. He's in all the meetings and he's heading in the right direction. We just have to see on that. Time is a big part of that. We'll see how that goes."

Only time will tell if Thompson returns to the field this season, but it's good to know that he's doing well and that there have been no setbacks in his recovery. There is no set date to designate either Omenihu or Thompson to return to practice, and so long as they make progress and don't encounter setbacks, both have a shot to return and contribute during the 2024 NFL season.