Five things to look for at Kansas City Chiefs training camp

2. Battle of the Punters

Who would have thunk it, a battle at the punter position?

It has been ages since the Chiefs have had a punter on the roster other than veteran and fan-favorite Dustin Colquitt. The Chiefs signed undrafted free agent Jack Fox after the draft, raising questions as to Colquitt’s future. Perhaps Fox is just a camp body, and is cut when the Chiefs make their final roster cuts. Perhaps the team places him on the practice squad and shelves him for when Colquitt decides to retire (he could play for at least three more years, if he wanted to). There are multiple questions as to why the Chiefs signed Fox, but one of the most interesting is if the Chiefs chose to give Colquitt some competition.

A veteran leg is almost invaluable in the league, and Colquitt is no exception. His ability to pin it within the 20-yard line, and his strong leg makes him a valuable asset to the Chiefs. While it is true that with age, his leg power may have declined a bit, he is still the best option the Chiefs have right now.

The best course of action would be to shelve Fox on the practice squad and see how Colquitt performs this season. Fox averaged 43.4 yards-per-punt in his collegiate career, with 211 punts for 9167 yards. Colquitt’s average is slightly higher at 44.9, although his numbers are more impressive as he has had 1,076 punts for 48,267 yards. The longest tenured special teams player looks to add to his franchise records of most punts and punting yards, but Fox may end up serving as his replacement in the future. For now, however, Colquitt will more than likely remain the Chiefs’ go-to punter.