Chiefs Make 'Surprise' WR Move Ahead of AFC Championship vs. Bills: Report

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Does Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid have a trick up his sleeve for the AFC Championship game?

The Kansas City Chiefs will utilize both practice squad elevations for the AFC Championship game, according to Chiefs Digest beat reporter Matt Derrick — and one of the two promotions is an unexpected choice, to say the least.

“[The] Chiefs have used their standard practice squad elevations on LB Swayze Bozeman and WR Justyn Ross for Sunday’s AFC Championship game [vs. the Buffalo Bills],” Derrick informed.

Considering KC has generally prioritized their gameday elevations for special teams contributors like Bozeman — and given the current depth at wide receiver — the Ross selection quickly caught the attention of fans on social media.

“Ross is a big surprise, thoughts @mattderrick?” One fan commented. While another said: “The Ross move is interesting… Do you think he’ll actually play… and if so, do you see a Red Zone role for him? 🤔”

Others hyped the Ross elevation, hoping for a breakout performance.

“Justyn Ross legacy game loading,” a user wrote. Another quoted the post, reacting: “Finally unleashing Justyn Ross in the biggest game of the year 😤😤😤.”

Since joining the Chiefs, Ross has always been a cult favorite of the fanbase. And despite never really making much of an impact during the regular season or the playoffs — with 6 career catches for 53 receiving yards — it appears Ross fans haven’t lost hope that he’ll produce a big moment with Kansas City.

Of course, there is the question of whether or not Ross will even factor in against the Bills.

Justyn Ross Elevation Could Just Be Chiefs’ Way of Rewarding His 2024 Practice Squad Contributions

Within the comments of Derrick’s post, Arrowhead Pride writer Jared Sapp guessed that Ross’ practice squad elevation is “probably [just] his turn to get the game check like it was [veteran safety Deon] Bush’s last week.” Sapp added that he doubts the wideout is actually activated on Sunday.

On the other hand, could this be some sort of ruse from head coach Andy Reid?

Ross does bring unique traits to the table, but he’s never really put it all together before. Why trust him now in such a big game?

It certainly feels unlikely that the Chiefs would choose to dress Ross over a proven veteran pass-catcher like JuJu Smith-Schuster or Justin Watson — or a key special teamer like returner Nikko Remigio.

In all likelihood, Sapp’s assumption is correct, and KC is simply rewarding Ross for his 2024 contributions on the practice squad.

After all, the 25-year-old has never been much of an impact special teamer, and his best attributes (contested catches and red zone ability) are similar to that of DeAndre Hopkins. If he’s active, the decision would definitely be a major curveball by the Chiefs.

Bills Elevate Veteran Safety Kareem Jackson vs. Chiefs

The Bills made a big-name elevation on January 25 too, veteran safety Kareem Jackson.

According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, Buffalo will be elevating both Jackson and veteran offensive lineman Will Clapp for the AFC Championship game, and the former makes a ton of sense considering starting safety Taylor Rapp (back/hip) has been ruled out.

Along with Rapp, cornerback Christian Benford (concussion) is also questionable for the pivotal clash with the Chiefs, making it very likely that Jackson suits up on Sunday.

A former first-round selection of the Houston Texans in 2010, the 36-year-old Jackson has managed to stick around the NFL for a total of 15 seasons.

Although the long-time DB has never earned any Pro Bowl honors or accolades, he does provide a wealth of experience, having started over 200 games between the regular season and the playoffs combined. Jackson has also never won a Super Bowl, so you can bet this opportunity means a little extra for him in what could be his final NFL campaign.

Michael Obermuller covers the NFL and NHL for Heavy.com, where he began writing in 2021. His areas of focus include the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins, as well as the New York Rangers and New York Islanders. An NYC area native and Quinnipiac graduate, his previous bylines include FanDuel’s The Duel, King Fantasy Sports and Pro Football Mania. More about Michael Obermuller