Locked on Chiefs: Seth Keysor on protecting Alex Smith & Patrick Mahomes
By Ryan Tracy
The Kansas City Chiefs have heavily invested in their quarterbacks, both financially in Alex Smith and in draft Capital with Patrick Mahomes. Protecting them will be a critical priority in 2017 and Beyond.
The team has solidified both the tackle positions, as well as center, with Eric Fisher, Mitchell Schwartz, and Mitch Morse. The guard position has been the question mark over the last two seasons. With young talent in the form of Parker anger and Zach Fulton on the left side, the competition for the starting role at left guard will be one to watch in training camp.
On the opposite side, however, the picture has become much clearer this offseason. With the signing of Laurent Duvernay-Tardif to a long-term contract, the team has put its faith in the French Canadian.
As we look at his progression over the last two seasons on film, we see that he has adapted and progressed in every phase of the game at the right guard position. In 2016, he showed dramatic improvement in his anchor and strength against the bull rush. He also shows his athleticism in both zone pulling plays as well as the power blocking scheme.
The contract the Chiefs invested in him shows confidence in his continued progress. If his career trajectory continues on its path, Duvernay-Tardif could become a Pro Bowl level player. That bodes well for Alex Smith in 2017 as well as Patrick Mahomes in 2018 and beyond, as the organization cannot afford for either to be under pressure and at-risk for injury.
"Like what you hear from the Locked on Chiefs podcast? Get it direct. Subscribe on iTunes or on AudioBoom"
Locked on Chiefs is a daily podcast show that drills down to the bottom line and will give you a 360-degree view of the Kansas City Chiefs. Take a few minutes to hear about your Chiefs each day. We’ll cover the offseason, the draft and all the way to the Super Bowl and want to cover the topics you want to hear about. So reach out to us on twitter @LockedOnChiefs with questions and for up to the minute analysis and episode information.
Thanks, Addicts!