Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles needs a second surgery on his right knee, a source confirmed to The Star on Tuesday.
Charles, who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in that knee in Oct. 2015, visited noted orthopedic surgeon James Andrews on Monday after dealing with swelling in recent weeks. Charles is expected to be placed on injured reserve, according to ESPN's Field Yates and Adam Schefter.
Charles logged season highs with 11 touches and 15 snaps against Oakland on Oct. 16 but missed Sunday's game at Indianapolis after playing only two snaps against the Saints on Oct. 23.
He had swelling in the knee before the Saints game. He was listed as questionable for that game but was ruled out two days before the Colts game.
Teams are allowed to bring one player back from injured reserve per season, a provision the Chiefs have not used yet. But with Charles set for a second surgery, it's unclear whether that will prove to be an option.
In the meantime, the Chiefs added depth at running back by signing running back Bishop Sankey off the New England Patriots' practice squad on Tuesday morning.
Sankey, 24, was a second-round pick of the Tennessee Titans in 2014, but the 5-foot-10, 204-pounder was released after two seasons in which he rushed 199 times for 762 yards _ 3.8 yards per carry _ and three touchdowns.
Sankey also caught 32 passes for 272 yards and a touchdown during his stint with the Titans, and returned 16 kicks for 390 yards.
But with Charles now on injured reserve and starter Spencer Ware going through concussion protocol after the Chiefs' 30-14 win over the Colts, the starting job against Jacksonville could go to Charcandrick West, who led the team in rushing last year with 634 yards before settling into a No. 2 role behind Ware this season.
West, who relieved Ware on Sunday and rushed 14 times for 52 yards, had elbow and ankle injuries earlier this season but is presumably healthy. He's rushed 33 times for 139 yards this season, and has also caught 13 passes for 45 yards.
After Sunday's game, West said he was ready when called upon.
"We got each other's back, we always say that," West said. "Just like year when Jamaal went down, the next man to be up, the next man to be up. We kind of prepare for these kind of moments."
But the Chiefs _ and longtime fans _ might not be prepared to see another extended absence from Charles, the Chiefs' career rushing leader with 7,260 yards, nearly 1,200 more than Priest Holmes, No. 2 on the list.
Charles' career yards-per-carry average of 5.5 yanks first among NFL running backs, ahead of Hall of Famers Jim Brown (5.2), Gale Sayers (5.0) and Barry Sanders (5.0).
Charles has indicated a desire to play four more years or so, but if that indeed remains his plan, it's unclear whether he'll be able to do that in Kansas City. Charles is set to enter the last year of his contract _ he has a $7 million cap number for next season _ and the Chiefs, who already have around $162 million ($7 million more than the 2016 cap number) committed for 2017, can gain all that in cap savings by releasing him.
