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The Kansas City Chiefs have had no shortage of young talent flowing through their facilities in recent seasons, and another of their former players has made his way to a rival’s roster.
BoPete Keyes, a 2020 Chiefs seventh-round draft pick, signed with the New England Patriots on Tuesday, marking his second stint with a new team this season. It is unclear if he might actually see playing time under Bill Belichick, but the addition to their scout team is a clear indication that he remains a hot commodity that the Chiefs could regret moving on from.
Though his role in Kansas City was relatively limited, he managed to find the field on almost 15 percent of the Chiefs’ defensive snaps last season, and almost 25 percent of the team’s special teams snaps. He made the only start of his career in Week 16 of last season, recording eight tackles in a 38-21 loss to the Chargers.
After a spotless preseason left the Chiefs with too much talent and too few roster spots, Keyes was one of the odd men out when they made their final cut to 53 players. He was waived in August ahead of final roster cuts and Indianapolis was quick to claim him. They started giving him playing time starting in Week 4 before ultimately deciding to pursue other options after Week 7.
In Keyes, New England is getting a solid developmental prospect with plenty of upside. There’s a reason the Chiefs traded back into the 2020 NFL draft to acquire Keyes in the seventh round. He has the potential to become an NFL starter if he capitalizes on opportunities that may arise as the season wears on. The Patriots are one of the hottest teams in football right now, sitting atop the AFC East with an 8-4 record and all the momentum they need to be a playoff contender.
Keyes’ time in Kansas City may be over, but the team’s early investment in him could prove to be the difference in him finding a role with another team in the league.
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