Chiefs’ Nick Keizer making case to be No. 2 tight end while working with first team
With Blake Bell leaving in free agency, conventional wisdom suggested the Chiefs would need to reach outside their locker room to replace the team’s No. 2 tight end.
The Chiefs signed Ricky Seals-Jones during free agency, but it turns out the heir might have already been on their roster.
Through six days of padded practices, Nick Keizer is the one getting the call to enter the field with starter Travis Kelce in the Chiefs’ highly successful “Tiger Personnel” set, commonly known as a 12-personnel package (one running back, two tight ends).
And Keizer, who spent time on the Chiefs’ practice squad in 2019, is impressing while mostly working with the first-team offense.
“Nick has done a good job,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Wednesday. “He’s getting better every day. He’s a smart kid, tough kid, and he has a good mentor there with Trav, so he gets to see it done the right way.”
A day later, tight ends coach Tom Melvin echoed Reid’s evaluation.
“He’s much better in the passing game down the field,” Melvin said of Keizer. “He’s pretty good on the end of the line of scrimmage, so we’re really happy with the amount of experience he’s getting now, especially with the ones and to run against the No. 1 defense.”
Keizer entered the league in 2018 as an undrafted free agent out of Grand Valley State with the Baltimore Ravens, where he spent time on the practice squad. He eventually joined the Chiefs in September 2019 and had an opportunity to absorb the playbook while working with the scout team.
Now, he’s putting what he learned last year to good use with valuable practice time.
“He’s getting a lot of reps and he’s done a great job with that,” Melvin said. “He was with us a year ago, so for him it’s basically putting data in a hard drive and getting more reps at it.”
The 6-foot-4, 251-pound Keizer’s emergence during training camp comes at a good time, as Seals-Jones (leg injury) and Deon Yelder (groin) continue to miss practices. The Chiefs recently claimed tight end Daniel Helm off waivers from the San Francisco 49ers for depth.
But the first week of training camp has been Keizer’s time. He has taken full advantage of the extra practice repetitions to alongside Kelce, who remains the team’s primary receiving threat at the tight end position. And there won’t be a shortage of playing time for Keizer during the regular season if he continues to trend upward.
Under Reid, the Chiefs’ offense consistently ranks among the league leaders in the deployment of “Tiger Personnel.”
With a continued strong showing in camp, Keizer could open the season as KC’s all-important No. 2 tight end as the complementary piece — primarily blocking — to Kelce’s receiving.
“We ask a lot out of that position within the run game and the pass game,” Reid said. “And if you’re not focused in every day that you come out and disciplined, then you’re going to take a step backwards.
“So, they’ve done a good job with it, Nick being one of them there that I think is really working hard at getting himself to where he’s one of the guys.”
PARTICIPATION REPORT
The Chiefs were without defensive end Frank Clark (stomach illness) and defensive tackle Chris Jones (groin) for practice Thursday. Both players worked with a trainer off to the side. For Jones, Thursday marked a fifth consecutive day of missed on-field practice with teammates.
Left tackle Eric Fisher, who suffered a concussion on the third day of practice, remains in the concussion protocol.
Wide receiver Sammy Watkins (groin) missed a fourth straight day of practice, while cornerback Lavert Hil (hamstring), offensive lineman Martinas Rankin (knee), Deon Yelder (groin) and Ricky Seals-Jones (leg) also didn’t practice.
Wide receiver Byron Pringle, who missed three straight practices with a hamstring injury, returned to work.
Wide receiver Tyreek Hill (hamstring) and defensive end Alex Okafor (calf) suffered injuries during practice. Hill was observed jogging inside without a trainer.
TOWNSEND SHINING
Whatever concerns there were about working in a new punter can officially be put to rest.
Special teams coordinator Dave Toub addressed the media following Thursday’s practice and provided glowing remarks on rookie punter Tommy Townsend.
“I’m really happy with his performance so far,” Toub said. “He’s done a great job. He’s really consistent. He really bombs the ball. He gets the ball off quick, he’s athletic. He’s everything you’re looking for.”
Townsend has the unenviable task of replacing Dustin Colquitt, whom the Chiefs released this offseason in a salary-cap move.
In addition to punting, Townsend takes over Colquitt’s former role as a holder with the field goal unit for a job requiring much-needed chemistry among Townsend, long snapper James Winchester and kicker Harrison Butker.
And so far, the mechanics of grabbing the snap from Winchester, followed by quickly getting the ball down for Butker, have gone without a hiccup.
“He’s doing a great job with his hands,” Toub said of Townsend. “He’s got very soft hands and he’s a natural catcher. It’s been so smooth. It’s a credit to those guys because they worked hard.”
OBSERVATIONS
The NFL’s and Chiefs’ media rules during training camp without fans in attendance — fans cannot attend this year because of the pandemic with the exception of the Chiefs’ two season ticket holder events — prohibit the reporting of personnel groupings (first- or second- or third-team units), specific formations/alignments, trick plays, situational plays and statistics.
Still allowed, however, are general observations about head-turning and notable plays:
• Rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire produced a head-turning catch during team drills. Edwards-Helarie was open in the flat on a passing play when quarterback Patrick Mahomes spotted him. He passed to the streaking Edwards-Helaire, whose momentum was carrying him forward. Showing excellent body control, the rookie running back adjusted in stride by turning his body and reaching out with his right hand to snare the ball.
• Veteran offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele has lined up at left guard with the first team, and offensive line coach Andy Heck said after Thursday’s practice that such repetitions help build a cohesive unit. “You definitely need to build chemistry and trust between O-linemen,” Heck said.
• Wide receiver Jody Fortson has been quiet in recent practices, but he came back with a vengeance with two circus-like catches during team drills. The first came on a back shoulder throw from quarterback Chad Henne. The pass appeared high, but Fortson was able to adjust and use his 6-foot-6 frame to block out cornerback Bashaud Breeland and catch the ball. Fortson also secured a leaping touchdown in the back of the end zone during team drills. The wide receiver later showed a little fire by getting in a minor fracas with cornerback Chris Lammons before the two players were separated.
• Rookie cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, the Chiefs’ fourth-round pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, had a strong practice with a couple of nice plays. The most impressive occurred during team drills with Sneed lined up wide against wide receiver Tyreek Hill. At the snap of the ball, Hill ran a straight go-route down the right sideline and Mahomes lofted him a deep pass. Sneed, who possesses 4.37 speed, was able to stay with the speedy Hill and turn his head at the last second to bat away the pass. Sneed also showed quick instincts on another play where he read the route and jumped it, almost coming up with an interception near the goal line. With Bashaud Breeland serving a four-game suspension to start the season, Sneed’s showing in practice would go a long way toward alleviating concerns at cornerback.
• For the first time since padded practices begane, the Chiefs’ defense had the green light Thursday to tackle offensive teammates to the ground. The action was lively as pads smacked repeatedly at the line of scrimmage, especially during running plays as defenders tackled the running backs.
