The 49ers and Packers both were interested in Chiefs prospect John Lovett.
Former Kansas City Chiefs prospect John Lovett was cut loose this week in an attempt to get the roster down to the 80-man limit coming later in the month of August. After his release, NFL reporter Field Yates made it clear that multiple teams were interested in claiming him on the waiver wire. The two made public were the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers, who put in the successful claim.
Lovett came to the Chiefs as an intriguing prospect who signed as a rookie free agent after the 2019 NFL Draft. Unfortunately for Lovett, an early wrist injury kept him out during offseason training activities and a separated shoulder in the team’s first preseason game. The Chiefs ended up placing Lovett on injured reserve where he spent the year in hopes of competing for a roster spot in 2020.
As a former quarterback at Princeton, Lovett was envisioned various positions other than QB—specifically as a h-back/tight end hybrid. With the Tigers in his final season, Lovett completed 146 of 221 passes, which was good for 1,833 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. He also ran for 894 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, which gave him an impressive 6.3 yards/carry average.
Lovett had other suitors for his services after the 2019 draft was over, so it’s clear that both the Packers and Niners had him on their draft boards as well. As good as he looked last year, it will be interesting to see how he turns out with a team with more chances to make the roster than the defending Super Bowl champs.