Does Tanoh Kpassagnon need a change of scenery? ESPN’s Adam Teicher says so. Let’s take a closer look at the Chiefs defender.
This is the year for Tanoh Kpassagnon. At least, it’s supposed to be.
The Kansas City Chiefs selected Kpassagnon out of Villanova in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft, sandwiched between the impressive offensive selections of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and running back Kareem Hunt. After the draft, general manager John Dorsey was ecstatic about Kpassagnon’s potential and compared him former NFL great Sean Jones (who had 113 career sacks).
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Two years later, the Chiefs still do not know what they have in Kpassagnon. And so far, that timing is actually okay—at least on the surface. After all, most players need a season to adjust to the rigors of the NFL—the longer season, the heightened competition, the demands on the body, the necessary mental acumen.
But Kpassagnon was drafted as a project. Coming out of Villanova, an FCS school, he was supposed to need more time than most to adjust to life in the NFL. If most players need one year, Kpassagnon likely needed two, which means he’s really on time.
Unfortunately for the Chiefs there is evidence to wonder whether that day will ever come. After playing in all 16 games last season, Kpassagnon played in only 13 games his season. Even worse, he was a healthy inactive down the stretch. At a time where he could have been earning key reps and growing into his third offseason, Kpassagnon was left behind by a team that couldn’t afford for him to still figure things out.
That’s why Adam Teicher recently offered up Kpassagnon as the Chiefs player who could most use a change of scenery. He writes:
"He appears unlikely to fulfill the potential the Chiefs believed he had when they drafted him in the second round in 2017. Last year, the Chiefs felt compelled to trade up to draft Breeland Speaks, who plays the same position. He was a healthy scratch for two of the final three games in the regular season and one in the playoffs."
After two full offseasons of workouts, training drills and times to learn Bob Sutton’s scheme, Kpassagnon looked just as ready to play as he did when he first arrived in K.C. In fact, the lack of development on Kpassagnon’s part will likely change the approach of the Chiefs offseason as Dee Ford nears free agency for the first time and Justin Houston remains very, very expensive. If Kpassagnon shows signs of life as a pass rusher, the Chiefs likely feel okay about letting one of them go. Without it, the Chiefs might have to financially bite the bullet.
Is Kpassagnon still on time, a man who just needed another season who will blossom a bit later than others, just as predicted? Is he another example of the NFL’s infatuation with potential over production, a rare wasted second round pick on the part of Dorsey?
Perhaps the tale of Margus Hunt can provide some perspective here. The Estonian was a second round pick on the part of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2013, a 6’8 lengthy pass rusher whose potential made executive salivate. He also needed considerable coaching and time to adjust to the NFL. After four seasons, the Bengals cut ties and let him walk in free agency. And why not? He only had 1.5 sacks in those four seasons.
Last season, in his second year with the Indianapolis Colts, Hunt finally showed some of that promise on the field with 30 tackles, 5 sacks, 6 more quarterback hits, 2 passes defended and 1 forced fumble in 15 starts for the Colts. It took six seasons and an entirely different team and scheme but something clearly clicked.
Will Kpassagnon ever break out? Will the Chiefs be rewarded for their vision? Or is it worth cutting ties and maybe getting something back from the initial investment? A change of scenery could be good, or it could be a team that gave up too early.