On Wednesday, the Kansas City Chiefs waived quarterback to H-Back convert John Lovett. A day later and Lovett has a new NFL team, claimed by the Green Bay Packers off of the waiver wire.
Lovett was a quarterback for the Princeton Tigers football team, but his style was too wild and unkempt for the NFL game. The Chiefs signed Lovett as an undrafted free agent following the 2019 NFL Draft and sought to convert him into a hybrid type of player. They used him as a tight end and fullback during the course of training camp and into the preseason, where he was hyped up as a player that could potentially make the team.
“I’ll tell you the guy that I think is going to be really interesting, too, is this John Lovett from Princeton,” Chiefs GM Brett Veach said May of 2019. “He was a Princeton quarterback, All-Ivy League quarterback, tough as nails. He actually broke his hand, played with a broken hand. At his Pro Day, I think he ran a 4.58 at 230-some pounds and we’re kind of looking to see if we can make him a hybrid H-back / tight end, kind of how the Eagles used Trey Burton when he came out of college. Trey was a quarterback and played some wildcat stuff there. I think the kid was 6’2”-ish, 235 (pounds), ran a 4.58. At his Pro Day they worked him out at linebacker and they worked him out at fullback and tight end. During the tight end drills, he had a cast on and I think he caught almost every single ball with one hand. I think he’s interesting because he’s a former quarterback at Princeton, but I think he can take some snaps at fullback and kind of that H-back / tight end position, play some (special) teams.”
In preseason Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Lovett caught two passes for 23 yards. He’d injure his shoulder on one of those receptions, which would force him out of the game. Kansas City would eventually place Lovett on injured reserve, ending his 2019 season.
There was some belief that he could come in and compete for a roster spot in 2020, especially with second-string tight end Blake Bell leaving in free agency. Ultimately, the Chiefs decided to go in a different direction at the tight end position.
This marks the second player this offseason that the Chiefs have waived that has been claimed by another NFL team. That’s what happens when you win a championship — everyone wants to take a look at the talent that you let go of.
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