With their starting pass-rushers both injured, the Kansas City Chiefs are activating Tamba Hali off the physically unable to perform list for their game against the Dallas Cowboys this week. The Chiefs announced the move via their official Twitter account.
We have placed CB D.J. White on waivers and have activated LB Tamba Hali to the 53-man roster from PUP. pic.twitter.com/Uxs9JOICai
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) November 4, 2017
Hali has been out all season but finally returned to practice this week, getting in workouts on both Thursday and Friday.
"He did alright -- knocking some rust off there," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said of Hali on Friday. "I'll talk to (general manager) Brett [Veach] about (when they might bring him back), but he was literally just knocking the rust off."
Reid mentioned that Dee Ford will miss the game against the Cowboys after not practicing all week due to a back injury, and the Chiefs listed Justin Houston as questionable after he sat out Friday's practice entirely following limited sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. We don't yet know how much Hali will get onto the field in his first game, but his presence is already important for a Chiefs team that suddenly looks like it's going to need him to play a big role.
With Ford out, Hali and Frank Zombo (who filled in for Ford last week) will have to step into large snap shares, while rookie Tanoh Kpassagnon would likely see an increased role if Houston was out as well. For a Chiefs defense that has not been as good as expected this season, these would be big absences, especially when trying to stop a Cowboys offense that has been on a roll lately. Lucky for them, Hali is getting back into the mix.