According to Kansas City Star journalist Jesse Newell, Louis Rees-Zammit’s attempt to join the Kansas City Chiefs’ 53-man roster or practice squad was hindered by his inability to learn a specific aspect of American football. The former Wales wing struggled with pass protection, which led to his release from the Super Bowl champions.
After attentively monitoring the Chiefs’ training sessions throughout the preseason, Newell detailed how the Welshman failed with a specific pass protection practice. Furthermore, he discussed on the podcast how Rees-Zammit fell down the pecking order as training camp continued.
“I was not surprised he didn’t make the 53-man roster,” the coach remarked.
“You could see it coming during training camp, and we go out there every day. You know, the team practices with its finest players, then they have a second team, then a third, and finally a fourth squad. So earlier, Louis was playing with the second or third team. As the session progressed, he joined the third and fourth groups.
“So it’s like the coaches’ truth serum, if you will. If those guys at the end of the roster are practicing against other guys at the end of the roster, it appears that they have a slim chance of making the team. Throughout the process, however, the Chiefs coaches have praised Louis for his efforts. We enjoyed talking to him in the media because he’s a very interesting person. He appeared to genuinely commit to this and be serious about it, which is exactly what is required to make the switch to a completely other sport.
“But I think as it went on, one of the glaring moments was – I think what the Chiefs wanted from Louis was, here in the NFL, there’s a very specific role on third down where if you can have a back out of the backfield who can pass protect for your quarterback and also catch passes out of the backfield, that’s a role that every single team in the NFL needs.
“But you have to be able to pass protect, and Louis had a pass protection drill a few weeks ago, and one of the linebackers just ran right over him because he doesn’t grasp the technique or the leverage.
So he’s a big man, but he doesn’t grasp the intricacies that will allow him to stop this 250-pound guy coming at you and protect your quarterback.
“So, I believe the Chiefs were hoping that this would come together soon. They were hoping that he would learn all of these things and eventually play a role for them as a third-down back as well as on special teams—kickoffs, punt returns, and so on. It just didn’t come quickly enough. So I wasn’t surprised when he was cut from the 53-man roster. I was more astonished by what transpired later this week, when he joined a different
team.”
Newell provided an extra reason why the Chiefs declined on signing Rees-Zammit to their practice squad, which is where they stand moving into the new season.
The Chiefs are pursuing a historic Super Bowl triple this season and are essentially just concerned with the now rather than planning for the future.
“I think the Chiefs seemed to see potential in him,” he claimed. “But where the fit may not have made sense is that this could be a better player to have if you’re not a Super Bowl contender. If your squad isn’t focused on winning straight immediately… I mean, the Chiefs are so far on the opposite end of that spectrum.
away… The Chiefs, for example, are on the opposite extreme of that spectrum right now, attempting to complete the first three-peat in NFL history.
“So it may not be possible to get what you want from a guy two or three years from now. It could be more about how this team, or this player on the practice squad, can assist your club this year in perhaps winning another Super Bowl and making history.
Given that Jacksonville coach Doug Pederson is a “disciple” of Reid’s, Newell believes the Jaguars would be a good fit for Rees-Zammit, though he emphasises that the biggest issue today is learning a completely new playbook.
The Jaguars receive their NFL
campaign underway on Sunday September 8 against the Miami Dolphins.
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