Chiefs’ Geoff Schwartz Wants To Play Guard

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Kansas City Chiefs free agent acquisition Geoff Schwartz thinks he can best help his new team by playing guard.

Schwartz came into the NFL as a tackle. Though he played a few games at the position when he was a member of the Carolina Panthers, the former seventh-round pick seems to think his best position is guard.

“I think I’m better at guard,” Schwartz said in a recent conference call with the media. ” Being able to play tackle is definitely a positive, but I haven’t really done it in a couple years. I’m just looking forward to getting a healthy camp at guard, preferable, but like I said, I can still do tackle.”

The Panthers liked Schwartz at guard as well. After a successful transition from tackle to guard, Schwartz was a starter at the position for Carolina before a hip injury derailed his 2011 season. Schwartz ended up with the Minnesota Vikings last season but he played only sparingly.

Now that he has a fresh start in KC, Schwartz is looking forward to what the Chiefs have told him will be a competition for playing time in camp. The chance to get back on the field in a starting role is one of the things that excited Schwartz about coming to Kansas City.

“First and foremost, I think there is competition on the offensive line,” Said Schwartz. “Right tackle is open right now. There’s not anyone really there, but besides that, I really like Coach Reid. When he was in Philly he won a lot of games. He’s been a very successful coach. In 14 years he’s been in a lot of conference championship games. That’s exciting to me. Even when he’s getting a fresh start here and I wanted a fresh start, so it was just a perfect situation for me.”

The Chiefs have a couple of young players along their offensive line in guard Jeff Allen and tackle Donald Sephenson. It will be interesting to see if Schwartz can challenge one or both for a starting gig.