Reggie Ragland says that he’s not at all worried about his chemistry with Anthony Hitchens despite not playing in a game together.
The Kansas City Chiefs have a brand new core in the heart of their defense, waving goodbye in the process to a franchise legend in Derrick Johnson. In his place is former Alabama thumper Reggie Ragland and former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Anthony Hitchens.
Unfortunately fans have gotten very few chances to see the exciting new tandem at work. Ragland has been kept out of most of training camp by a swollen knee that plagued him the moment he arrived back in Missouri. It’s the same knee that’s troubled him in years past and required surgery along the way, but the team insists they’re simply taking a very cautious approach and that he should be fine.
Together, the duo hopes to repair the team’s run defense at the second level, an issue that has plagued the Chiefs at the most inopportune times in recent years—including last year’s embarrassing playoff meltdown against the Tennessee Titans. In order to provide such an answer, however, they have to be on the actual field. Ragland says he’s anxious to get out there but he knows he might just have to wait.
“I’m a competitor,” said Ragland to reporters on Wednesday. “I’m always itching to get out there and hit somebody, but for the most part my teammates were like, ‘Take your time.’ Training staff has done a great job with me, getting my knee back prepareing and everything. For the most part, of course I’m itching to get out there and hit somebody but if not, I’ll be ready when the season comes for sure.”
When asked about the chemistry with Hitchens, Ragland spoke confidently about the duo’s relationship on and off the field. Fans forget how much time they’ve already spent together throughout the spring and summer, he says, and that’s given them a solid foundation even without game experience.
“We’ve been on the field in practice and OTAs and everything. Me and Hitch have a chemistry there on the field,” says Ragland. “We just haven’t played in games yet. So when we get in the games, it’s gonna be natural, I believe. It’s already natural in practice. If I don’t see something, Hitch sees it, and when Hitch doesn’t see something I see it. It’s very helpful. I think when the time comes, we’ll get out there and play and things will fall into place like dominoes.”