Chiefs have weapons for war

A New Bunker: Mitchell Schwartz

The new player I am maybe most excited about on offense is Mitchell Schwartz. No, not just because I like saying, “May the Schwartz be with you,” which I do, but because he could be a game changer for the offensive line and therefore for the offense as a whole.

One of my favorite writers over at NFL.com is Jeffri Chadiha. This week he wrote a piece called, “NFL offseason reflection: The 10 most impactful developments.” Although Justin Houston’s knee situation is #7 on his list, that’s not the reason I’m bringing up his article. If I had to write a piece about the “10 most impactful CHIEFS developments this offseason” the addition of Mitchell Schwartz just might be #1.

Pete Prisco wrote a piece called, “In the line of fire” in which he visits the LeCharles Bentley O-Line Performance Center and spoke with four offensive linemen including, Kyle Long, Chance Warmack, Bobbie Massie and Weston Richburg, the center for the Giants. These four open up and share some true insights into what it means to be an offensive lineman in today’s NFL.

First of all, they each confirmed that… teams aren’t training linemen how to be linemen anymore. While we hear stories about how the Chiefs coaches are excellent at what they do, this makes you wonder about just how much real technical training they’re getting after they walk into the Chiefs door. I’d like to believe the Chiefs are giving their players everything they need to be successful but both Jeff Allen and Donald Stephenson attended and trained there two season’s ago for some reason. It didn’t appear to help Stephenson and in retrospect it seems wasted on Allen now that he’s gone.

Weston Richburg said playing offensive line was more physical in the past and that now it is more a case for being skillful. Kyle Long made a case for the longevity of a group of linemen playing together and that it rarely happens but when it does those lines are great.

What’s all this have to do with Mitchell Schwartz? Well, in each case, it’s easy to see that signing Schwartz was an excellent choice. Schwartz is considered to be one of the most skillful tackles in the NFL. Also, he’s coming to a team that will have the nucleus of their starting offensive linemen back and they aren’t bringing in a host of new guys… although I know some wish they would. His presence should be a seamless assimilation and not a hindrance.

Kyle Long was asked, “When do you know all the tricks you need to play the position?” Long responded by saying,

"“There are two elevators you get when you come into the league. Both the elevators are on floor 10. One is physical. The other one is mental — the tricks and the juice you got. As the juice goes down, the tricks go up. Somewhere you meet halfway like year eight. You’re like, ‘Wow. I am here.’ As you go, you learn the tricks. By the time you can’t walk, you see another trick and it’s like I can’t get there.”"

Since Mitchell Schwartz is beginning his 6th season he’s coming into his prime: another big plus for the Chiefs. The Prisco article also reveals that offensive linemen mostly think they get no glory. So, let me say right here… Mitchell Schwartz is the Chiefs most important offseason acquisition and the offensive line will be the main reason the Chiefs succeed this season. Lining up with Eric Fisher at left tackle, Mitch Morse at center and Mitchell Schwartz at right tackle is the beginning of an excellent line.

What do you say Addict fans? Do you have a favorite “weapon” you’d like to see General Reid place into active duty?