Tag: Joe Thuney

7 Chiefs who could make their first Pro Bowl in 2021

A look at 7 #Chiefs players with the best chance of making their first Pro Bowl in 2021.

The Kansas City Chiefs have their eyes on a bigger prize, but the Pro Bowl is always a nice consolation, with a lasting impact on player’s individual legacies. The Chiefs had two players earn first-time Pro Bowl selections in 2020, with DT Chris Jones and DE Frank Clark being selected for the game. Of course, they both appeared in Super Bowl LV instead and didn’t play in the annual all-star game.

If the Chiefs want to get to Super Bowl LVI, they’ll need some Pro Bowl-caliber performances out of their players during the upcoming season. Here are the seven Chiefs with the best chance at making their first Pro Bowl in 2021:

Chiefs’ Joe Thuney named NFL’s third-best offensive guard

The Chiefs prioritized adding Thuney in free agency because he’s one of the best in the league.

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The Kansas City Chiefs scored one of the best interior offensive linemen in the league during the 2021 NFL free agency period.

The left guard spot has been a bottomless pit of despair in Kansas City since Andy Reid’s arrival back in 2013. They’ve struggled to get consistency out of any one player at the position. In a year following a meltdown on the offensive line in Super Bowl LV, the Chiefs prioritized adding a smart, durable and versatile player at the position in Joe Thuney. He’ll help anchor a rebuilt offensive line for the Chiefs, with a goal of keeping star QB Patrick Mahomes clear of pressure. He’ll also bring some added juice and athleticism to the run game.

But where does Thuney rank among the NFL’s best offensive guards heading into the 2021 season? Touchdown Wire’s Mark Schofield recently sought to answer that question, ranking the 11 best offensive guards in the league. Thuney came in at No. 3 in Schofield’s rankings, and as a New England fan himself, he’s struggling to come to grips with this talented former Patriot playing for the Chiefs.

“. . .during his time in New England Thuney grew into an elite offensive guard. Few Patriots fans will ever forget his effort against Aaron Donald in Super Bowl LIII. And last season, as the offense went through a transition, Thuney was a steady force in the interior. The Patriots implement a varied run scheme, with a mix of both zone and gap/power concepts, and Thuney can handle them all.

Yet in today’s NFL we all know passing is king, and Thuney is stout in pass protection. He has the awareness and experience to identify twists and stunts up front, and the power, technique and lower-body strength necessary to win many one-on-one matchups.”

The two players to come in ahead of Thuney are Dallas Cowboys OG Zach Martin and Indianapolis Colts OG Quenton Nelson, who are both well-deserving. Perhaps after a season of holding things down in Kansas City, Thuney can ascend these rankings and earn the top spot in 2022.

Be sure to head over to Touchdown Wire and check out the full story, complete with clips and commentary on each of the players listed by Schofield.

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Chiefs’ Joe Thuney named NFL’s third-best offensive guard

The Chiefs prioritized adding Thuney in free agency because he’s one of the best in the league.

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The Kansas City Chiefs scored one of the best interior offensive linemen in the league during the 2021 NFL free agency period.

The left guard spot has been a bottomless pit of despair in Kansas City since Andy Reid’s arrival back in 2013. They’ve struggled to get consistency out of any one player at the position. In a year following a meltdown on the offensive line in Super Bowl LV, the Chiefs prioritized adding a smart, durable and versatile player at the position in Joe Thuney. He’ll help anchor a rebuilt offensive line for the Chiefs, with a goal of keeping star QB Patrick Mahomes clear of pressure. He’ll also bring some added juice and athleticism to the run game.

But where does Thuney rank among the NFL’s best offensive guards heading into the 2021 season? Touchdown Wire’s Mark Schofield recently sought to answer that question, ranking the 11 best offensive guards in the league. Thuney came in at No. 3 in Schofield’s rankings, and as a New England fan himself, he’s struggling to come to grips with this talented former Patriot playing for the Chiefs.

“. . .during his time in New England Thuney grew into an elite offensive guard. Few Patriots fans will ever forget his effort against Aaron Donald in Super Bowl LIII. And last season, as the offense went through a transition, Thuney was a steady force in the interior. The Patriots implement a varied run scheme, with a mix of both zone and gap/power concepts, and Thuney can handle them all.

Yet in today’s NFL we all know passing is king, and Thuney is stout in pass protection. He has the awareness and experience to identify twists and stunts up front, and the power, technique and lower-body strength necessary to win many one-on-one matchups.”

The two players to come in ahead of Thuney are Dallas Cowboys OG Zach Martin and Indianapolis Colts OG Quenton Nelson, who are both well-deserving. Perhaps after a season of holding things down in Kansas City, Thuney can ascend these rankings and earn the top spot in 2022.

Be sure to head over to Touchdown Wire and check out the full story, complete with clips and commentary on each of the players listed by Schofield.

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Chiefs OL Joe Thuney building chemistry with new teammates

Chiefs OL Joe Thuney shared his thoughts on new teammates Orlando Brown Jr. and Trey Smith.

The Kansas City Chiefs wasted little time addressing a position in need of changes, identifying a much-needed upgrade on the offensive line during the 2021 NFL offseason. The signing of former New England Patriots lineman Joe Thuney opened the flood gates for various moves in hopes of avoiding another troubling end to a Super Bowl run.

The addition of Thuney was impactful because of his championship experience being charged for many years to help protect Tom Brady. He’s a former Pro Bowl player, so he understands the importance of a strong team, as he detailed during Thursday’s press conference.

“The locker room is a really hard-working group,” Thuney said. “I think everyone just wants to try to take steps and make progress, myself included. It’s been great being out on the field with those guys and looking forward to some more of it.”

Thuney was named Second-Team All-Pro in 2019 has been a staple of the Patriots’ title runs since being drafted in 2016. The veteran lineman shared his thoughts on the Chiefs’ team culture and teaming with other prized offensive line acquisition, Orlando Brown Jr.

“Everyone’s been great,” said Thuney. “The organization is top class, everyone’s been so welcoming, I feel great here, really happy to be here. In regards to Orlando, he’s a great guy. We’ve been working together for a little bit of time now, and it’s going well. Just taking it day by day, but he’s a great guy and a really great player and got to take it a day at a time.”

The Chiefs also made a splash in the draft, once again adding to the offensive line with the selection of Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith. Smith could be looked at immediately following the injury of assumed starter Kyle Long. That was also a topic of Thuney’s discussion on Thursday.

“Trey (Smith) works really, really hard,” Thuney said. “He’s just getting into his playbook a lot too. He’s a strong guy, he works hard, and he’s explosive. It’s been fun getting to know him and all the guys. Like I said, just taking it a day at a time.”

The Chiefs’ offensive line will immediately be placed under the microscope following the new additions, but it’s important to keep perspective as Thuney has. They’ll need some time to learn, gel and grow together. The ability to call on a proven veteran like Thuney is a much-needed addition for Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy to help solidify a line with so many new faces.

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Orlando Brown Jr. says he was ‘surprised’ Ravens decided to trade him to Chiefs

The Baltimore Ravens traded Orlando Brown Jr. to the Chiefs in what was a shock to many. How did Brown react to being traded to Kansas City?

The Baltimore Ravens shocked a lot of people when they decided to trade tackle Orlando Brown Jr. to the Kansas City Chiefs. Baltimore has had plenty of problems when dealing with Kansas City over the last three years, losing three straight games to Patrick Mahomes and company.

After their Super Bowl LV defeat at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Chiefs went into the offseason with offensive line as a major weakness. The team signed both Joe Thuney and Kyle Long, but now with the addition of Brown, they have one of the better offensive lines in the league.

During his introductory press conference with Kansas City, when asked about what he thought of the fact that out of all of the teams in the NFL, the Chiefs were the organization that he ended up with, Brown said he was “surprised”.

“I was really surprised, man, I was really surprised. I didn’t see it coming. You know what I mean if you would have asked me when I requested my trade where I would have been, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you then but I was very surprised to be here and I’m just glad that they made the move. I definitely think I’m the guy that they want, the guy that they need.”

Kansas City being the team that the Ravens did business with in this situation was unexpected. The Chiefs are a direct competitor to Baltimore in the AFC, and will be much improved with the acquisition of Brown. However, the Ravens most likely took the trade package that they liked the most, not taking into account who was offering it. It probably stung a bit to send Brown to a rival that they’ve been unable to defeat recently, but Baltimore was doing what was best for themselves.

Brown clearly didn’t see a move to Kansas City coming. He experienced first hand the struggles that the Ravens had with the Chiefs, but now that he’s on the other side of the budding rivalry, his job will be to extend Kansas City’s win streak. It’s never an NFL team’s goal to make a competitor better, but it seems like Baltimore was thinking about the future of their franchise, and didn’t overly consider where they were trading Brown to be a huge factor.

Breaking down the Orlando Brown trade between the Chiefs and Ravens

Orlando Brown is the biggest winner of this trade.

The Chiefs acquired their left tackle of the future when they traded their first-round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft to the Ravens for the services of Orlando Brown. Brown has wanted to play left tackle long term to honor his late father, Orlando Brown Sr. who played for the Ravens in the late-90s and early-2000s.

With Brown being adamant about playing left tackle, the Ravens were put in to a tough spot. They just gave All-Pro tackle Ronnie Stanley a five-year, $112 million contract prior to the start of the 2020 season. They essentially had to get rid of him now before he walked in free agency after the season.

The Chiefs pounced on the situation and made their football way better with the acquisition of Brown. Now Brown gets his chance to be a long-term left tackle for one of the best teams in the league, and the Ravens got good enough draft picks in return for him.

WATCH: Chiefs OL Joe Thuney can solve a Rubik’s cube in less than 2 minutes

The Kansas City Chiefs’ new left guard has a pretty incredible talent for solving Rubik’s cubes quickly.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ top free-agent signing, Joe Thuney, has the reputation of being incredibly smart as a football player, but his talents extend beyond the gridiron.

One way that Thuney shown off his smarts over the years is his mastery of the Rubik’s cube. When he’s really focused and locked in he’s able to solve one in under two minutes. The Chiefs’ social media team shared a past video of his hidden talent on Friday.

Check it out:

Apparently, this talent has been years in the making. Thuney has his brother and his competitive drive to thank for it.

“My brother got [a Rubik’s cube] probably 10 years ago and it came with instructions how to do it,” Thuney told USA TODAY Sports in 2016. “Of course, he was doing it and I got jealous and I wanted to beat him, so I learned how to do it. Just followed the manual. It took probably a couple days to a week to get it down pat. Ever since then, I could just pick one up or just do it from memory and try to go faster and faster.”

With that type of memory recall, Thuney should be able to pick up Andy Reid’s playbook in no time.

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Chiefs OL Joe Thuney doesn’t know what position he’ll play in 2021

Thuney has the versatility to play different spots, but he doesn’t yet know where he’ll play for the Chiefs.

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The Kansas City Chiefs officially announced the signing of former New England Patriots OL Joe Thuney on Thursday.

Thuney was also in the building today and met with the media for the first time. He revealed a number of things, like what prompted his decision to come to Kansas City and his barbecue dinner with new Chiefs G Kyle Long. Unfortunately, he didn’t have an answer to the main question that everyone is wondering— What position will he play in Kansas City?

The fact that Thuney is listed by the team as an offensive lineman and not a guard, suggests that he might be playing another position. Thuney played a number of different spots during his career with the Patriots, but mostly played left guard. He never started a game at tackle, which is easily the Chiefs’ weakest position on the offensive line. According to Thuney, he hasn’t had any discussions with the coaching staff or front office about what position he’ll be playing in 2021.

“Not yet, but like I said, I just want to help the team wherever I can, in any capacity,” Thuney said. “I just want to contribute to winning, and that’s really my main thing, so wherever that is, that’s fine with me.”

Thuney later elaborated a bit on his positional versatility in an exclusive interview on KCSP-AM 610 Sports Radio in Kansas City.

“So I started two games last season at center and then filled a little bit at left tackle in 2019 at the end of one of the games,” Thuney said. “The rest of my career has all been at left guard. So a little variety, but like I said, I just want to be on the field in any capacity, anyway. It doesn’t really matter, I just want to be out there playing with the guys and trying to contribute with winning.”

It would seem that Thuney is keeping an open mind with his new team. In part, he simply doesn’t have an answer because he has yet to meet with any of his new coaches.

“I haven’t met any of the coaches yet,” Thuney said. “I’m still looking forward to that. Like I said, wherever is needed, I’m willing to put my head down and work. I just want to be out there on the field playing, that’s the main thing.”

We’ll eventually find out the Chiefs’ plans for Thuney. Other moves that the team continues to make ahead and during the 2021 NFL draft should at least hint at where he’ll be playing in 2021.

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The floor for a potential Brandon Scherff contract extension has been set

With the 5-year, $80 million deal for OG Joe Thuney, Washington and Brandon Scherff now have something to negotiate off of.

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While many people in Washington are focused on players that the team might bring into the franchise during this free-agency period, one thing that we need to keep in the back of our minds is what is going on with Brandon Scherff and his potential contract extension.

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Last week Washington placed a franchise tag on Scherff for the second-straight season, which would pay him over $18 million in 2021 if he were to play on the tag. Of course, the two parties have until July 15th to reach an agreement on a long-term extension. So what would that type of extension for Scherff look like it should one come? Well, we can look at one contract that was handed out on Monday to get an idea.

OG Joe Thuney agreed to a five-year, $80 million deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, giving him $32.5 million guaranteed in the first two years, with $48 million guaranteed by next March.

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By all means, Scherff is believed to be the best guard in the NFL, so we can believe that his extension might be worth more than this. That is a hefty price, so we’ll see if Washington decides that they want to pay it for their All-Pro.

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Falcons miss out on two potential upgrades early in free agency

The Atlanta Falcons were predictably quiet when Monday’s legal tampering period kicked off, but that lack of action has resulted in some of the top free agents being plucked away by other teams. 

The Atlanta Falcons were predictably quiet when Monday’s legal tampering period kicked off, but that lack of action has resulted in some of the top free agents being plucked away by other teams.

Former New England Patriots guard Joe Thuney signed a massive deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, and former Los Angeles Rams safety John Johnson has since inked a deal with the Cleveland Browns.

The Falcons needed help at both positions after parting ways with safeties Ricardo Allen and Keanu Neal, along with their starting left guard, James Carpenter. Atlanta’s pass defense was the NFL’s worst in 2020 and Matt Ryan has been sacked at least 40 times over the past three seasons.

Seeing that Thuney’s 2021 cap hit is only $4.5 million, the Falcons really dropped the ball on this one. The Chiefs were well over the cap just a few days ago, but by restructuring the contracts of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, and defensive lineman Chris Jones, they were able to be active in free agency.

The Falcons restructured with left tackle Jake Matthews, but they are still $10 million over the cap. Add on $3.3 million more to the deficit after the team placed a second-round tender on backup offensive lineman Matt Gono. Atlanta is likely just waiting until the dust from the first wave of free agency settles. Every day the Falcons wait, though, they will lose out on more potential upgrades.

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