The Kansas City Chiefs could be gearing up to experiment with position changes for a pair of undrafted free agents recently signed to the roster.
On the Chiefs’ initial rookie minicamp roster, former Ole Miss RB Jerrion Ealy was listed at WR/RB. He’s since been listed on the team’s official roster at RB, suggesting he’ll play the position he played in college. There still is a little uncertainty surrounding where exactly he’ll play.
Following the conclusion of minicamp, Chiefs HC Andy Reid confirmed that they only worked Ealy at running back over the weekend. Reid didn’t rule out the possibility of using him as a receiver, complimenting his pass-catching skills.
“We had him at running back this camp here, and he’s pretty good at that,” Reid explained. “He did a nice job, but he does have good hands. He’s another one with big hands, too. He does a nice job.”
Ealy’s situation is certainly one to monitor with OTA’s and Phase 3 of the offseason program on the horizon.
Another player who appears to be heading for a position switch is Nigerian TE Kehinde Oginni Hassan. A participant in the NFL’s International Player Pathway program, Kehinde started off his athletic journey playing basketball. He was discovered by former NFL pass rusher Osi Umenyiora, at his Up Rise Academy, which helped Kehinde land a spot at the NFL International Combine.
Something to keep an eye on here. The #Chiefs list Kehinde Oginni Hassan at TE, but he's wearing No. 67. Even with the new jersey number expansion 67 is not an eligible number for the TE position. Suggests K.C. intends to play him at either OL/DL. https://t.co/keh2FUiefS
— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) May 7, 2022
Umenyiora won Super Bowl XLII with the New York Giants under the tutelage of now-Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo — a significant detail when you consider his position switch. While Kansas City originally listed Kehinde as a tight end on their rookie minicamp roster, he was assigned a jersey number ineligible for the tight end position. On the team’s official roster, he’s now listed as a defensive end.
Kehinde is also listed at 6-7 and 225 pounds, suggesting he’s far too light to play the defensive end position. That said, he has the frame to put on the weight and the raw athleticism to potentially develop into a contributor at the position.
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