Chiefs Roster: Why ending the punter battle early was sensible

A significant coaching camp query for the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs was anticipated to be a contest at punter.

After 4 seasons with the Chiefs, Tommy Townsend signed with the Houston Texans as an unrestricted free agent. The writing for Townsend’s departure had seemingly been on the wall since Kansas Metropolis signed former San Diego State punter Matt Araiza a month earlier.

Following the draft, the Chiefs introduced in BYU’s Ryan Rehkow as an undrafted free agent to compete with Araiza to switch Townsend. The stage was seemingly set for fierce competitors on the place.

Earlier within the offseason, Chiefs particular groups coordinator Dave Toub declined to place a timeline on the choice between Araiza and Rehkow. He additionally pressured that kicker Harrison Butker would have some enter on which possibility would function his new holder.

“We’re training every part, the holds, the throws… who can throw higher. We’re attempting to have a look at every part to guage it,” Toub stated of the search. “Holds are vital. [Harrison] Butker’s going to be concerned. I’m going to speak to him [to see] who he likes when it comes time. We don’t know after we’re going to make that call.”

It seems that call was made on the finish of the crew’s necessary minicamp this week as Rehkow was waived to free a roster spot for former Montana defensive deal with Alex Gubner after a profitable tryout.

Based mostly on current traits, there are two main causes to not be stunned the punter choice was made lengthy earlier than the crew heads to Missouri Western State College for coaching camp in late July.

Set up vs. competitors

Toub and head coach Andy Reid are meticulous with particulars on particular groups. Whereas they each endlessly supply coach-speak about competitors of their public feedback, Toub and Reid enormously worth having the playbook put in effectively earlier than coaching camp.

This may have made a real camp competitors between Araiza and Rehkow problematic due to their main variations.

Splitting treasured follow reps between the 2 in St. Joseph would have made it tough to guage protection gunner choices — a serious means for uncooked expertise to make a case for the lively roster. The left-footed Araiza — with booming distance on punts based mostly on school movie and the 2022 preseason whereas with the Buffalo Payments — would probably require alternating formations from the opposite 10 gamers than the extra conventional energy of the right-footed Rehkow.

Nobody ought to be stunned that the always-thorough Toub made an early choice about which foot his punter would kick with, permitting him to higher plan for the expertise round Araiza.

The 2020 punter competitors

The Chiefs additionally made a fast choice the final time they’d a punter opening in 2020. After the crew moved on from Dustin Colquitt after 15 years on the job, they signed former Notre Dame punter Tyler Newsome as a road free agent. Following the 2020 draft, the crew inked Townsend out of Florida.

Toub’s ideas concerning the 2020 punter battle equally promised fierce competitors.

“They each have actually robust legs, actually highly effective legs,” Toub remarked. “They constantly hit over 5.0 [second] hangtimes, which is de facto spectacular. Tommy’s just a little bit extra clear in his method, so far as consistency. Whereas Tyler is just a little bit extra erratic together with his method, however the outcomes are the identical. They each bomb the ball. We simply want to scrub Tyler up just a little extra, however I let you know what, the competitors goes to be actual enjoyable.”

Finally, the 2020 punting battle additionally ended early as Newsome was launched on July 28. Whereas he technically made it to coaching camp, all offseason work was executed nearly because of the pandemic.

The Chiefs clearly made the proper choice. Townsend went on to be named First Staff All-Professional for the place in 2022, whereas Newsome bounced across the league for a interval whereas by no means showing in a recreation.

If Toub could make a punter analysis based mostly closely on what Townsend did through Zoom exercises, there’s little cause to doubt the choice after a month of seeing Araiza and Rehkow within the precise constructing.

The underside line

Even 90-man roster spots are priceless, and it’s tough to justify taking two punters to camp. The Chiefs clearly valued a reserve defensive lineman for follow functions, on condition that returning gamers Derrick Nnadi and Charles Omenihu are coming off of season-ending surgical procedures.

Extra minor strikes could also be wanted. Now that he’s (fortunately) seemingly on the highway to restoration, the Chiefs will quickly face the uncomfortable activity of figuring out move rusher BJ Thompson’s standing. Different Chiefs face harm issues forward of camp, and a reunion with free agent deal with Donovan Smith can’t be dominated out till certainly one of Kingsley Suamataia or Wanya Morris outright wins the left deal with competitors.

With a three-peat on the road, Kansas Metropolis made a key choice early that may straight have an effect on the roster’s fringe gamers. In addition they did proper by Rehkow, who can have a chance to hunt a brand new crew earlier than coaching camp.