Tag: Jody Fortson

Chiefs’ Travis Kelce, Jody Fortson name NBA stars who would make best tight ends in NFL

#Chiefs TEs Travis Kelce and Jody Fortson imagined a pair of NBA stars as NFL tight ends.

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The NFL’s social media team asked tight ends at the third annual Tight End University summit to name athletes from another sport who make the best tight end in the NFL. 

A pair of Kansas City Chiefs players, Travis Kelce and Jody Fortson, had an opportunity to provide their takes.

Fortson’s answer came up first, which was two-time NBA MVP and Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. At 7 feet and 249 pounds, he’d certainly fit the mold of an NFL tight end and would probably excel as a red zone target given his size.

Kelce’s answer echoed all of the rest.

“You’ve got to throw LeBron James in there,” Kelce said. “He fits the mold.”

Practically everyone went with LeBron James and it isn’t all that surprising. Heck, we even explored the idea of James coming to play for the Chiefs when he was an NBA free agent back in 2018. Back in the day, James said he could run a 4.6-second 40-yard dash at 6-8 and 250 pounds.

There was also a time when James was offered contracts to play in the NFL by Jerry Jones and Pete Carroll during the 161-day NBA lockout back in 2011.

What do you think, Chiefs Kingdom? Which athlete from another sport would make the best NFL tight end? Let us know your thoughts on Facebook and Twitter.

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Chiefs TE Jody Fortson, QB Shane Buechele sign ERFA tenders

The #Chiefs got a little business done before the break between mandatory minicamp and training camp.

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In mid-March, the Kansas City Chiefs extended a qualifying contract offers to Exclusive Rights Free Agents (ERFAs) Jody Fortson and Shane Buechele. According to the NFL’s personnel notice for Thursday, those players have now signed their ERFA tenders, which is merely a formality ensuring that both players would be back in 2023.

For those who are unfamiliar with the term, ERFAs are veteran free agents who have yet to accrue three full seasons in the NFL. To accrue a season, a player must be on a team’s roster for a minimum of six games.

If an ERFA is tendered a qualifying contract offer by their team prior to the beginning of free agency, they can’t refuse said offer to become an unrestricted free agent. They can only reach unrestricted free agency if a team declines to extend a qualifying offer, otherwise, that team holds exclusive negotiating rights.

Based on both players’ years accrued, the tender amounts should come in at a non-guaranteed $940K in 2023. Both contracts fall below the top-51 cutoff for the salary cap during the offseason.

Fortson and Buechele have both proven to be valuable depth pieces for Kansas City over the years. Buechele has been the No. 3 QB for the Chiefs since entering the league as an undrafted free agent out of SMU in 2021. Fortson emerged as one of the best run-blocking tight ends in the NFL just a season ago. It’s quite the heel turn from joining the team as an undrafted free-agent wide receiver out of Valdosta State University back in 2019.

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Chiefs TE Jody Fortson emerged as an elite run blocker in 2022

#Chiefs’ Jody Fortson was quietly one of the NFL’s best run blockers at the tight end position last season.

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Kansas City Chiefs TE Jody Fortson could turn out to have a big role on offense in 2023 and not just as a pass-catcher.

Fortson ended up playing 21% of the Chiefs’ offensive snaps in 2022, the most to this point in his career. He took a big step forward in one specific aspect of his game — where he was rarely utilized the season prior. In 2021, Fortson appeared on the field for just 15 run-blocking snaps in Kansas City. He saw more than quadruple the run-blocking snaps the following season.

Among tight ends with 80 or more run-blocking snaps in 2022, Fortson managed the eighth-highest run-blocking grade in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus. Over 60% of his run-blocking snaps came on zone running schemes, while just under 20% of his snaps came on gap/power schemes.

Now, Fortson dislocated his elbow in Week 15 and spent some time on injured reserve before he was activated for the AFC Championship Game and Super Bowl LVII. It was a little surprising when Blake Bell was benched in favor of Fortson for the AFC title game and Super Bowl LVII, but it makes a bit more sense when you consider how much he’s improved as a run blocker and how important running the ball effectively was in each of those games.

Given that the Chiefs played one of the highest rates of 12- and 13-personnel looks in 2022, it’s reasonable to expect that Fortson could find himself on the field even more in 2023.

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Chiefs tender exclusive rights free agent TE Jody Fortson

The #Chiefs have tendered exclusive rights free agent TE Jody Fortson, per report.

Fan-favorite tight end Jody Fortson is back with the Kansas City Chiefs on a one-year tender.

NFL Network’s James Palmer reported that the team has officially tendered Fortson. He was one of three players who were slated to be an exclusive rights free agent (ERFA) in Kansas City this year. The team is required to extend a qualifying offer before free agency otherwise Fortson would become an unrestricted free agent at the opening of the upcoming free agency period. Based on his years accrued this tender amount should come in at just under $1 million for Fortson in 2023.

An undrafted free agent out of Valdosta State University, the 6-6 and 240-pound tight end is coming off a 2022 NFL season where he had nine receptions for 108 yards and two touchdowns after appearing in 13 games and starting in one. Fortson dislocated his elbow in Week 15 and spent some time on injured reserve before he was activated for the AFC Championship Game and Super Bowl LVII.

This reinforces the tight end position even more for the Chiefs in 2023 with Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, Kendall Blanton and Matt Bushman currently under contract as well.

Kansas City still has two ERFA’s left to handle with QB Shane Buechele and OT Prince Tega Wanogho. Expect those to come ahead of the 4:00 p.m. ET deadline on Wednesday.

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Chiefs announce flurry of roster moves ahead of AFC Championship Game

The #Chiefs have activated TE Jody Fortson to the 53-man roster, elevated two players from the practice squad and made two more practice squad transactions.

The Kansas City Chiefs have announced several roster moves ahead of the AFC Championship Game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

With an open roster spot following the release of Chris Lammons earlier this week, the Chiefs have activated TE Jody Fortson to the 53-man roster from the team’s injured reserve list. This was a move that Andy Reid had been foreshadowing all week and a welcomed return ahead of the AFC title game.

It wasn’t the only move the team made to add to their roster ahead of the big game on Sunday. The Chiefs also made a pair of practice squad elevations and two more practice squad transactions.

The Chiefs elevated two receivers from the practice squad for the game. This doesn’t necessarily mean both players will be active as we learned last week. They elevated Marcus Kemp and Austin Reiter for the AFC divisional round and neither played. This time around Kemp and Ihmir Smith-Marsette got the call-up to the active roster. Kemp has a greater chance of playing this week given his experience on special teams in the role vacated by Lammons.

In terms of the moves made that won’t impact the AFC Championship Game, the Chiefs have again released WR/RB Jerrion Ealy from the practice squad. He’s approaching C.J. Spiller levels of replaceability at this point.

In a corresponding move, the Chiefs added RB La’Mical Perine to the practice squad. Perine’s older cousin, Samaje Perine, plays for the Bengals. Chiefs fans will remember Samaje well from the Week 13 matchup where he had a big day against Kansas City. La’Mical was drafted by the Jets in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft out of the University of Florida. He’s spent time in New York, Philly and most recently Miami.

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Chiefs HC Andy Reid provides injury update following Thursday practice

#Chiefs HC Andy Reid provided four injury updates after the team’s final practice of the week on Thursday.

The Kansas City Chiefs completed their final practice of the week on Thursday leading up to their AFC divisional round game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Chiefs HC Andy Reid addressed reporters after practice, giving updates on four injured players. He started with WR Mecole Hardman, who missed his third practice this week on Thursday.

“So, really the only person that didn’t practice was Mecole (Hardman),” Reid said. “We backed off of him just to see if we couldn’t get him back going this week. He’ll most likely be listed as out going forward. It’s not for lack of effort, it’s not (anything else), it’s just the injury. So, he’s working through it.”

This sounds more like they could be shutting Hardman down beyond the divisional round game. His abdomen/pelvis injury is clearly not responding the way the team and he had hoped, despite their best efforts to get him back on the field.

As for DE Frank Clark, who has been limited by a groin injury for the past two practice sessions, Reid was much more optimistic about his ability to play on Saturday.

“I just talked to him, so I can tell you this hot off the press,” Reid said of Clark. “He actually feels very good and he practiced well today, and really yesterday too.”

With RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire and TE Jody Fortson being designated to return to practice from injured reserve this past week, there was a question of whether they’d be activated to the 53-man roster for the Jaguars game. While Reid hadn’t yet had his final discussion with Rick Burkholder and Brett Veach, he indicated it was unlikely that either player would be activated for the divisional round.

“I’ll go back and talk to (Brett) Veach about that,” Reid said. “But probably not, I’d tell you.”

Should the Chiefs advance to the AFC Championship Game, they’ll both have a chance to return to the fold.

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Chiefs teammates excited for return of RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, TE Jody Fortson

#Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and RB Jerick McKinnon spoke about what it means for the team to get RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire and TE Jody Fortson back from injured reserve.

The Kansas City Chiefs got some exciting news on Tuesday indicating they’re getting just a bit healthier heading into the playoffs.

Both RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire and TE Jody Fortson were designated to return to practice from injured reserve. Edwards-Helaire had been dealing with a high ankle sprain since Week 11 and Forston suffered an elbow injury in Week 15. The 21-day practice window is now open for both players, meaning they can be activated to the 53-man roster at any point during that window.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes indicated that potentially getting both players back for the playoffs is a big deal.

“Yeah, anytime you get talented players back it helps the whole team, not just the offense but everybody,” Mahomes said. “To have that energy in the locker room again, to have it on the football field. Both those guys are special types of players, where they can do different things than the guys that we already have in there. So just having as many people back healthy as possible is going to be great for us because we have different options to utilize as we continue to try to build and get better and better and win these playoff games.”

Both Fortson and Edwards-Helaire provide a flavor that they don’t already have at the running back and tight end positions. Both players are threats to score, with eight combined touchdowns between them this season.

Specifically related to Edwards-Helaire, Jerick McKinnon said he’s very excited to have him back on the practice field.

“Oh, very excited,”  McKinnon said. “Very excited. Just him as a person, his personality, just to have him back out there, what he brings to the game. I don’t really know much about the situation, but you know it’s playoff time. Getting everybody back, getting all the weapons back is definitely going to be amazing.”

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Chiefs HC Andy Reid provides injury updates ahead of Tuesday practice

#Chiefs HC Andy Reid says that WR Mecole Hardman won’t practice on Tuesday, but two other players have been designated to return from injured reserve.

The Kansas City Chiefs kick off their practice week on Tuesday as they prepare to face the Jacksonville Jaguars in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs.

Chiefs HC Andy Reid provided his usual pre-practice injury update, delivering some good news on returning players and some bad news on a player dealing with an injury. He started off with the bad news on the lone player who won’t practice.

“The guys that won’t practice today, really it’s just Mecole (Hardman),” Reid said. “Really, we’re just going to back off of him a little bit and see if we can’t get it feeling better. He’s been pushing it hard and it’s not responding the way that he wants it or that we want it. So, we’ll back off on that.”

Hardman was designated to return from injured reserve over a month ago after suffering an abdominal/pelvis injury in Week 9 against the Tennesse Titans. There has been some uncertainty surrounding his status after he suffered a setback of sorts. It seems right now they’re intent on getting him more rest and rehabilitation.

“Yeah, he does and we do,” Reid said. “We just want to try and not take steps back. It’s not that we’ve taken steps back, it’s just that it’s not getting where it needs to be — where he can go. My feeling is that if we just back off on it and let him rest a little bit here and do his rehab, he’ll have a chance to get better. He doesn’t want to and we don’t want to put him out in a bad situation.”

It feels like a return to the field this season for Hardman would be a longshot, but at a minimum, it would require the Chiefs to advance in the playoffs.

As for the good news, the team will have two players back at practice on Tuesday. Reid confirmed that both RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire (high ankle sprain) and TE Jody Fortson (elbow) had been designated to return from injured reserve.

“The other two I probably should mention to you is Clyde (Edwards-Helaire) and Jody (Fortson) will practice,” Reid said. “So we’re going to ease them back in and just see how they do. Try to get them back in the swing of things.”

Remember, both players will have a 21-day window from today, during which period they can be activated to the 53-man roster. Just because they’ve been designated to return, doesn’t mean they’ll return this week or this season for that matter.

Finally, it sounds like Frank Clark is set to practice after suffering a groin injury in Week 18.

“Yeah, he is (heading in the right direction),” Reid said of Clark. “He’s been working very hard at that. But yes, he’s progressing.”

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Chiefs make roster moves ahead of Week 16 vs. Seahawks

The #Chiefs have placed TE Jody Fortson on injured reserve and activated TE Blake Bell to the 53-man roster. They also brought up one player from the practice squad.

The Kansas City Chiefs made a pair of roster moves on Friday in addition to their usual practice squad elevation.

As expected, the Chiefs have placed TE Jody Fortson on injured reserve. Fortson suffered a dislocated elbow in the Week 15 win over the Houston Texans. He’ll be required to miss the next four weeks at a minimum on injured reserve, meaning he won’t be eligible to return until the second week of the playoffs.

In a corresponding move, the team activated TE Blake Bell to the 53-man roster from injured reserve. Bell returns after suffering a hip flexor injury in Week 1 of the preseason. The Week 16 game against the Seattle Seahawks will be his first meaningful game since the AFC title game last season.

Bell’s return was a bit of a surprise given that he was just designated to return from injured reserve this past week, while Mecole Hardman was designated to return a week ago. Andy Reid spoke about the situation on Thursday.

“Listen, I’ll give you what I feel at this point without checking with (Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance) Rick (Burkholder),” Reid proclaimed. “I feel pretty good about (Blake) Bell (but) Mecole (Hardman), I’m not sure he’s where he needs to be, but we’ll talk to him and we’ll just see. We have him in a very limited role, and I want to check with the kid and Rick here – and Rick will talk to Mecole, too.”

As for the practice squad elevations, the team only made one this week, but it tells us a bit about who will be inactive on Sunday. With DT Khalen Saunders listed as doubtful, the Chiefs have activated DT Danny Shelton via standard elevation. This is the first time that the former first-round draft pick Shelton has been activated to the 53-man roster this season. He should see some action in the rotation alongside Derrick Nnadi and Brandon Williams with Saunders expected to sit with his illness.

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Chiefs HC Andy Reid provides injury update ahead of Tuesday practice

#Chiefs HC Andy Reid spoke on injuries and illness that will hold a few players out of practice to start the week.

Kansas City Chiefs HC Andy Reid provided a pre-practice injury update on Tuesday as the team plays on Saturday in Week 16.

Several players won’t practice due to either illness or injury as the team hits the field for the first time this week, including a player who missed Friday’s practice with an illness. Reid revealed that there is some sort of sickness going through the defensive line room in Kansas City ahead of their upcoming game.

“The D-Line room — Michael Danna, Chris Jones and then Khalen Saunders are all sick,” Reid said. “Jody Fortson, has an elbow. His elbow is subluxed. He won’t practice today either. He’ll struggle to make it to the game as we go forward. Tough kid, but he got banged up there pretty good. Other than that everyone will be out there and rolling.”

It doesn’t seem like these illnesses will keep any of the players out from Week 16, but it’s worth monitoring as the practice week progresses.

As for Jody Fortson’s injury, he had a subluxed elbow or elbow dislocation. It seems like he’ll miss at least Week 16, but it sounds like the dislocation was significant and that he could miss more time. The Chiefs could simply place Fortson on injured reserve and allow him extra time to heal.

They’ll need to make a roster spot this week for the expected return of WR Mecole Hardman. Fortson could be that corresponding transaction.

“There’s a good chance,” Reid said of Hardman’s pending activation to the 53-man roster. “He’ll practice with the guys today. We’ll see if we can’t get him in there a little bit.”

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