KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Chiefs ruled out three key contributors Wednesday in right guard Trey Smith, tight end Noah Gray and cornerback Chris Roland-Wallace ahead of their Thanksgiving Day matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.
A Pro Bowler last year, Smith will miss his second game this season after he sustained a sprained right ankle Sunday in the comeback win over the Indianapolis Colts. Mike Caliendo, a three-year veteran, is expected to replace Smith in the starting lineup.
"He knows everything [in the system]," offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said Tuesday of Caliendo. "To be able to step in and do the things he did, it's valuable for us."
Gray entered the concussion protocol when he sustained a concussion in the fourth quarter against the Colts while making a reception.
The Chiefs this season have often used formations featuring either two or three tight ends. Gray's role will be filled by Robert Tonyan, an eight-year veteran, and Jared Wiley, a second-year player who is expected to make his season debut Thursday.
Roland-Wallace will miss his first game of the season with a back injury. Rookie Nohl Williams is expected to be the Chiefs' nickel cornerback.
One positive for the Chiefs is that coach Andy Reid confirmed Tuesday that starting running back Isiah Pacheco will return to the lineup for Thursday's game.
Pacheco, 26, has been out since Oct. 27, when he sustained a right knee injury in the victory over the Washington Commanders. After Thursday's game, the Chiefs will have 10 days to rest and recover before Week 14, when they host the Houston Texans for a prime-time game Dec. 7.
