Everyone in Chiefs Kingdom is excited to know how this new offensive line is working out. For a football fan, it’s the equivalent of opening up the biggest present under the tree on Christmas morning only to have to wait for the right time to be able to use it. Training camp is coming and Kansas City fans will finally soon be able to see how their new front line looks.
Until then, as the Chiefs go through organized team activities in the late spring, we’re forced to rely on player testimony and casual observation. At this stage, there are no pads, which limits how the line can come together. No players are tackling one another, and competition isn’t exactly all out.
Still the offseason’s biggest ticket item, free agent guard Joe Thuney, says camp is going well for the Chiefs and that “everyone’s been great” so far.
Joe Thuney has positive things to say about new Chiefs linemen.
“The organization is top class,” said Thuney to reporters earlier this week.
“Everyone’s been so welcoming and feel great here, feel really happy to be here … The locker room is a really hard-working group. I think everyone wants to try to take steps and make progress, myself included. It’s been great being out on the field with those guys and looking forward to some more of it.
“Like you said, we don’t have pads or anything, but you can still work technique, you can still work fundamentals in football, and those guys are really great players. Great in the run and pass. It takes a whole unit—all five linemen working together. Day by day, we’re just trying to make improvements each day, but yeah, they’re really great players.”
From there, Thuney offered up praise for a few of the other new faces around Chiefs practices along the offensive line. The Chiefs also traded for a new bookend next to Thuney on the left side in Orlando Brown, Jr., and Thuney said things are positive so far.
“With regards to Orlando, he’s a great guy. We’ve been working together for a little bit of time now and it’s working out well. You take it day by day, but he’s a great guy and a really great player.”
Later on in his press conference, Thuney was asked about the progress of specific rookies. Sixth round pick Trey Smith, who is competing at right guard, was initially deemed an incredible draft value for the Chiefs and that’s only been bolstered by the testimony of those who have seen him up close in Kansas City. His draft stock fell due to a history of blood clots, but the Chiefs’ medical staff signed off on him and the team has been rewarded for their belief.
“The offensive line room is a great room, a nice combination of old and young. Just trying to dig into my playbook and learn everything there is to learn about the offense. Trey works really, really hard. He’s getting into his playbook a lot, too. He’s a strong guy. He works hard. He’s explosive. So it’s been fun getting to know all the guys and, like I said, we’re just taking it a day at a time.
Meanwhile, Thuney had similar praise for second-round pick Creed Humphrey, who could potentially be the Chiefs’ new starting center. Humphrey is competing with new free agent signing Austin Blythe, who was starting in the middle for the Los Angeles Rams last season.
“ has been doing a great job at center. He’s communicating with the o-line and making sure everyone’s on the same page. He works really hard, too. He’s a really strong guy, like Trey, explosive. He’s been great with making sure everyone’s on the same page and all five guys know what’s going on.”
It’s going to take some time for any line to gel, but from what Thuney and others are saying, this line could be as good as fans were hoping when general manager Brett Veach went to work on a rebuild. Some of the new faces, young and old, are already looking the part.