Tag: drue tranqill

Veteran Chiefs linebacker comments on the signing of wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster

Kansas City #Chiefs LB Drue Tranquill comments on the signing of wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster | @EdEastonJr

The news broke early Monday morning that the Kansas City Chiefs had agreed to terms on a deal to sign wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.

Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill spoke with reporters on Monday after practice about his thoughts on the signing of Smith-Schuster.

“Well, Nick (Bolton) was saying he was getting treatment on the table today, and he’s like, that voice sounds so familiar. And he looked up, and JuJu (Smith-Schuster) is like, What’s up, brother?” said Tranquill. “So I look forward to meeting JuJu and getting after it. I hear he’s a great player. He and Pat (Patrick Mahomes) have good chemistry, and I think he missed four or five games. He almost had 1,000 yards for the team a few years ago. So he’ll be a key addition for us and help us.”

Smith-Schuster was a significant part of the Chiefs’ offense in 2022, finishing the year with 78 receptions for 933 receiving yards and three touchdowns. He was recently released by the New England Patriots after spending 2023 with them and missing the postseason.

Chiefs LB Drue Tranquill says it’s easier to call signals during away games

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill says it’s easier to call signals during away games due to the loud crowd at Arrowhead Stadium. | from: @EdEastonJr

The victory last Sunday for the Kansas City Chiefs was dominant, as the team’s defense stood tall for the third straight game. A unit that played without starting linebacker Nick Bolton due to injury managed to hold the Bears to ten points.

Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill started the game in place of Bolton, handling the responsibilities well. Tranquill spoke with reporters after Wednesday’s practice about battling through the loud crowd noise of Arrowhead Stadium and appreciating his time with the Chiefs.

“Yeah, as a defense away, games tend to be a little bit easier,” Tranquill explained. “In Arrowhead [it’s] very, very loud. And so it was a challenge for me in my first time calling the signals, you know, calling the game for the full time, you [have] gotta be good with your hand signals. So not only do you have to know verbally the checks and the communication, you have to know them all via sign language via hand signals to get to the guys. And so it was a challenge. It was a good challenge. We played well.”

Tranquill played his first four seasons in the NFL for the Los Angeles Chargers before signing a one-year deal to join the Chiefs last offseason. He’s already enjoyed his time in Kansas City, praising the winning culture.

“Yeah, I really love it here. I really love the people here. I love the competitive culture and everything about it. Everything about it here is about winning.” said Tranquill, “And as a player with dreams and aspirations to win, you know, the highest honor, which is the Super Bowl, it’s really cool to be a part of a culture that is driven towards that that has done that. And that looks to do that in the future.”

LB Drue Tranquill feels Chiefs will ‘maximize’ his abilities in 2023

Linebacker Drue Tranqill told reporters on Monday that he signed with Kansas City because he feels the #Chiefs will “maximize” his abilities. | from: @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs defense has received its fair share of attention at training camp, with some highlights and aggressive plays catching the attention of observers ahead of the team’s first preseason game. The unit is often overlooked, given that all the firepower on offense grabs the lion’s share of notice from the national media, but the unit has shown significant improvements over the last few seasons.

One new addition to the defense this season is linebacker Drue Tranquill, who brings an extra veteran presence familiar with the Chiefs’ AFC West rivals after starting his career with the Los Angeles Chargers. Tranquill spoke to the media on Monday and shared his excitement to sign with the Chiefs and extrapolated on how he appreciated the front office’s view of him during contract negotiations.

“Yeah, there was, at any given time, there [were] probably ten or eleven teams involved,” Tranquill said of his experience in free agency. “And, as dominoes fell, you know that that list shrunk. But there [were] about five, six teams that last day [that] I was kind of choosing between, and I think just talking to Coach Spags [Steve Spagnuolo], talking to Brett Veach, talking to Andy Reid, like, I just felt really valued here. Felt like they were going to use a lot of my strengths, [and] maximize me as a player here. And that excited me and ultimately led to my decision to come here.”

Tranquill is entering his fifth season in the league after spending his first four years with the Chargers. He’s battled the Chiefs multiple times as a division rival, so he understands the team’s dynamic as an opponent and appreciates his new role heading into Kansas City’s effort to defend their championship title next season.

Drue Tranquill earns praise for quick adjustment to Chiefs’ defense

Linebacker Drue Tranquill earned praise from defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo for his quick adjustment to the #Chiefs’ defense.

[anyclip pubname=”2103″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8221″]

It can be difficult for players to acclimate to new systems after changing teams in free agency, but Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill seems to be fitting right in with his new squad at training camp in St. Joseph.

Steve Spagnuolo singled out the fifth-year veteran after Monday’s workouts, noting Tranquill’s dedication to learning the Chiefs’ playbook and willingness to lead his defensive unit through practices.

“I’ve had a bunch of free agents come to systems in the years I’ve been here and sometimes it takes a little while for guys to get comfortable with their surroundings [and] with their teammates,” Spagnuolo explained. “Drue [Tranquill], it’s like he stepped right in, and he’s been here for three years in terms of communicating with his teammates, what he did off the field, how much of a pro he is. He’s had a great influence on not just the linebacker room but the defense in general.”

With this endorsement, Tranquill seems to be well on his way to earning a significant role in Spagnuolo’s defense. He will be competing with Nick Bolton and Willie Gay Jr. for snaps, so any favor he can curry with the long-tenured defensive coordinator now is sure to pay off when the regular season starts in September.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]