Mitch Morse leads Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive line makeover

The Kansas City Chiefs knew going into the 2015 season that the offensive line woes needed to be addressed. In March, the process of upgrading the offensive line started when free agency opened up for business. The Chiefs nabbed offensive guard Ben Grubbs in a trade with the New Orleans Saints and also signed free-agent guard Paul Fanaika.

Grubbs will be in the starting lineup as he was re-signed within a week to a four-year extension with the Chiefs. The same can’t be said for Fanaika, but he at least provides more depth and options for Kansas City as opposed to last season when the Chiefs’ offensive line was in shambles.

Kansas City did a poor job last year in adding depth to the offensive line in case of injuries. When the injuries came during the season the line charted on dangerous waters, leading to Alex Smith being sacked 45 times (tied for fourth in the league). This is what drove the Chiefs to make the offseason moves they made in free agency, but they weren’t done there. In the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft, Kansas City selected Mitch Morse, a center from the University of Missouri.

The name alone sounds like a hefty lumberjack that chops trees down with one swing or a NASCAR driver sponsored by Quaker Oats; it could go either way. What we do know aside from the power of the man’s name is that he carries “a very particular set of skills” that includes versatility and grit.

Morse’s versatility is what rated him high on John Dorsey’s draft board. When asked in a recent press conference where he plans on playing him, Dorsey expounded on his thoughts.

"“Well, he started at left tackle, he’s played right tackle, he’s played center and he’s played guard. I would think that you try him at center as a backup there or see if he can play guard. He can probably get you out of the game as a tackle, but his versatility, his athleticism, his smarts, his toughness are really good qualities to have.”"

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Morse could come in and probably compete at any position on this less-than-stellar line. I think the majority, including me, believe he will most likely compete at center, the position that communicates the protections to the rest of the line. Morse has been considered an intelligent player with good footwork and power that helps to compensate for the lack of arm length and hand size. ESPN analyst Louis Riddick had some nice things to say about Morse on the video below.

If he can be developed into a Pro Bowl center as Riddick suggests, the Chiefs hit a home run with their second-round pick. What we know for sure is that with the bumps and bruises that occur during the regular season, it’s going to be nice to have a player on the roster that can come in and fill  multiple positions if needed.