Tag: Joshua Kaindoh

Chiefs place rookie DE Joshua Kaindoh on injured reserve with ankle injury

#Chiefs rookie DE Joshua Kaindoh is heading to injured reserve with an ankle injury. The move also makes room for Josh Gordon on the 53-man roster.

The Kansas City Chiefs have announced that they’ve placed rookie DE Joshua Kaindoh on injured reserve. In a corresponding move, they officially signed WR Josh Gordon to the 53-man roster.

Kaindoh exited the Chiefs’ Week 4 game against the Philadelphia Eagles with an ankle injury and did not return to the game. After the game Chiefs’ HC Andy Reid didn’t clarify the severity of the injury, simply saying that he had hurt his ankle. On Monday, Reid had no updates on Kaindoh’s status, but with him reporting into team facilities on Tuesday, the team made a determination on his injury.

According to The Athletic’s Nate Taylor, Kaindoh is heading to injured reserve because of the dreaded high-ankle sprain. It’s potentially a short-term stay on injured reserve for Kaindoh with high ankle sprains typically taking 3-4 weeks to recover from.

A fourth-round draft pick out of Florida State, Kaindoh has had a rough go so far as a rookie. He has appeared in three games so far, playing in 46 total defensive snaps. During those snaps, he recorded no official statistics.

This injury will certainly stunt any progress he’s made this season. He’ll be required to miss three weeks before he can be designated to return from injured reserve. That means, at the very least, he’ll miss games against the Buffalo Bills, Washington Football Team and Tennessee Titans.

The Chiefs’ pass-rush was already hurting before this injury. While Andy Reid expects the return of Frank Clark to help strengthen the defensive line, it might be time that the team begins looking elsewhere for solutions.

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Chiefs DE Joshua Kaindoh’s initial impression of training camp, working with Steve Spagnuolo

#Chiefs DE Joshua Kaindoh spoke about his initial camp experience and working with defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. | from @EdEastonJr

The rookies have reported to Kansas City Chiefs training camp to get an early start ahead of the veterans. As the young players adjust to their first NFL training camp experience, coaches will have the opportunity to evaluate their potential more closely.

The Chiefs have a number of potentially impactful rookies on the roster, including former Florida State edge rusher Joshua Kaindoh. The versatile defensive lineman could be a key player for the Chiefs this season, especially with the uncertainty surrounding veteran DE Frank Clark.

It all starts with the work that he puts in at training camp, learning from defensive line coach Brendan Daly and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo

“I feel like he’s (Spagnuolo) been doing a good job of helping us learn day by day,” Kaindoh told reporters on Sunday. “Hasn’t been trying to rush things; he’s been doing a good job of trying to kind of ease us in and get us comfortable.”

His experience with Daly hasn’t been much different either.

“He’s been homing in on fundamentals,” Kaindoh said. “So it’s good to go back to ground zero and just work on that.”

The coaching staff has emphasized the fundamentals. As a result, Kaindoh has worked on his hands, hips, feet and most importantly getting down the playbook. Sure enough, the rookie feels like he’s made progress, even just a few days into his first NFL training camp.

“I’m literally living my dream,” said Kaindoh, ”So I just take it day by day and be happy where I am. I’m excited to get better.”

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Andy Reid gives early impressions of Chiefs’ rookie DE Joshua Kaindoh

Reid was impressed with Kaindoh’s work ethic, hands and size

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid got a first glimpse at his newest players during rookie minicamp this past weekend.

After just one weekend, it’s hard to predict a player’s NFL future. It’s especially difficult when we’re talking about a padless minicamp without a full offensive and defensive line. While he can’t predict what the 2021 NFL season will hold for any of them yet, Reid came away impressed by the Chiefs’ group of rookies.

Fourth-round draft pick Joshua Kaindoh was one of the players to receive praise from Reid following the conclusion of minicamp.

“We’ll see how it all goes, but you’ve got a great work ethic, I mean tremendous work ethic,” Reid told reporters of Kaindoh on Sunday. “He’s very, very intelligent. He’s long. He’s a big human being, and he’s got long arms. He knows how to use them. He has heavy hands, is what they’d say. Then it’s just a matter of him getting used to the scheme. He’s got a tremendous coach, so he’ll get all the fundamentals down and take it step-by-step and eventually go use them. Like I mentioned about Niang, it’s rough on the O-line and D-line right now because they can’t hit anybody and do their thing. It’s versus a bag.”

Minicamps are all about building that foundation, so Kaindoh is probably no worse for wear than a more traditional rookie minicamp with enough players to run team drills. He clearly caught Reid’s eye at practice with the amount of work that he was putting in, in addition to his natural size and ability.

Perhaps Kaindoh caught Reid’s attention because he has already had a “Welcome to the NFL” moment. He seems to have an understanding of what is expected of the players on this team, which is impressive after only having been with Kansas City for a short time.

“What I’ve come to realize is the standards here are high,” Kaindoh told reporters on Friday. “A team of great tradition and a family just like other places. Today I put on that practice jersey, got out on the field—it was a little walkthrough – but definitely a surreal moment just getting out on the field and getting coached up by the coaches here.”

Kaindoh made it clear that he wants to help the team in any way possible as a rookie. He has goals to learn the playbook and get under the wing of a veteran player. He also knows that he has an opportunity to start fresh in the NFL. His time at Florida State didn’t meet the typical expectations that people have for a highly-touted five-star recruit. Now he has a chance to work with the Chiefs’ coaches and become a team player alongside his fellow rookies.

“It’s exciting because I feel like we’re all back on square one,” Kaindoh said. “What we did in the past doesn’t matter and we’re starting a clean slate. We’re all going through the same thing right now and as long as we help each other out we should be straight.”

If Reid’s early impression of Kaindoh is any indication, he’s on the right track.

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Chiefs DE Joshua Kaindoh excited to learn from veterans in Kansas City 

Joshua Kaindoh was all smiles and all business after being drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Kansas City Chiefs fourth-round draft pick Joshua Kaindoh was an athletic and versatile player with the Florida State Seminoles.

The young defensive end appears to be the ideal scheme for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s defense. He wasn’t shy about his goal of coming in, doing things the right way and making an impact immediately in Kansas City. Kaindoh didn’t hold back in his excitement after the draft during his introductory press conference with reporters.

The 6-5 260-pound defensive lineman gushed about the opportunity to play alongside veterans Frank Clark and Chris Jones.

“Learn the playbook, make the roster, get under the wing of a vet, be around the facility,” said Kaindoh, already envisioning life in the NFL. “Dreams to reality. It’s just surreal right now. It’s crazy.”

Kaindoh, last season, appeared in eight games, recording 13 total tackles and an interception returned for a touchdown, but also zero sacks. His intangibles and size appealed to the Chiefs, and his excitement was also on display as he described the moments after receiving his selection phone call.

”When I got the call it was just a bunch of yelling and screaming going on,” Kaindoh said. “One of the best moments of my life, easy. Easily my best moment.”

As a rookie in the NFL, Kaindoh isn’t putting a whole lot of pressure on himself. He does feel like there is one thing that he has to prove as soon as he joins his new teammates in Kansas City.

“I just want to go out there and prove I’m a ballplayer,” Kaindoh said. “I want to go out there and ball, simple as that.”

The attitude and ambition are fantastic qualities in a young player such as Kaindoh as he sets out to begin his professional football career. His progress with the Chiefs will be something to look out for throughout the offseason.

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2021 NFL draft: Pair of Florida State edge defenders should intrigue Chargers

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez details why Los Angeles could look to draft Joshua Kaindoh or Janarius Robinson.

Florida State cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. is on the Chargers’ radar, as the team has met with him twice now.

Samuel Jr. likely isn’t the only Seminole that Los Angeles has their eyes on, however.

Edge defenders Joshua Kaindoh and Janarius Robinson both present skillsets that are tailor-made for what head coach Brandon Staley looks for in players at the position.

Kaindoh, the former five-star edge defender, never quite lived up to his lofty billing as a recruit as injuries limited him to just three games in 2019 and seven in 2020. But he was a consistent defender when on the field.

He finished his collegiate career with 59 tackles, eight sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss.

Kaindoh lined up as a 6-technique defensive end and outside linebacker. He played in a 3-4 system in 2019 and got experience in 4-3 defense last season with the team’s new coaching staff.

Standing at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, Kaindoh is very impressive physically and athletically, owning the movement skills, length, impressive power, toughness and awareness to perform at a high level as a pass rusher and run defender.

The thing holding Kaindoh back is simply his lack of experience due to the various injuries sustained, but with his combination of size, athleticism and upside, he’s a player that outside linebackers coach Jay Rodgers would love to unlock his full potential.

Robinson, on the other hand, saw the field on a more consistent basis. In 42 games, 28 which he started, Robinson recorded 104 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks in his career.

Robinson played as a stand-up end. He mainly was used as an edge defender, but saw some snaps on the interior during goal line and lighter pass rushing packages.

Standing 6-foot-5, 263 pounds with 35 ¼-inch arms and an 86 ¼-inch wingspan, Robinson presents an eye-popping frame.

Length and strength is the name of Robinson’s game. He has great point of attack strength, is able to hold his own along the line of scrimmage and has the heavy hands and length to extend and shock offensive linemen, complimented with a solid first step quickness and speed off the edge.

Stronger in the run department at the moment, Robinson could benefit from developing his hands as he struggles to counter after initial contact.

The bottom line is that Kaindoh and Robinson are the type of edge defenders that Staley covets, considering they’re both lengthy and explosive players who can win at the point of attack.

Given the team’s need for more players to fill out the position, drafting and developing Kaindoh or Robinson could pay dividends down the down.

Browns 2021 draft: A pass rusher for every round

Here is a pass rushing prospect for the Browns draft spot (before trades) for each of the draft’s seven rounds

One of the biggest remaining holes on the Cleveland Browns roster after the first couple of weeks of free agency is the starting DE/EDGE spot opposite Myles Garrett. The team signed Takk McKinley and Malik Jackson as veteran additions, but neither should prevent GM Andrew Berry and the Browns from finding a more permanent solution to replace Olivier Vernon in the starting defensive lineup.

The 2021 NFL draft offers scores of different options. It’s not a top-heavy class, but with the Browns not picking anywhere near the top of the draft, that’s just fine.

Here is a pass rushing prospect for the Browns draft spot (before trades) for each of the draft’s seven rounds, with an eye for fit in Cleveland and how we expect Joe Woods’ defense to operate.

PFF lists a later-round and early-round fit for the Vikings

Who do you think the Minnesota Vikings should focus on in the 2021 NFL draft? The team could take Florida State DE Joshua Kaindoh or Miami DE Gregory Rousseau.

Minnesota has just one pick in the first two rounds of the 2021 NFL draft.

With all the needs the Vikings have, the team doesn’t have the luxury of finding all its necessary players in the early rounds. PFF is here to help. The outlet’s Michael Renner listed a later-round and early-round fit for Minnesota. Renner tabbed Florida State DE Joshua Kaindoh as the late-round candidate and Miami DE Gregory Rousseau as an option in the early rounds. Here’s what he wrote:

“The Vikings have a type, and it’s Rousseau and Kaindoh. Both are listed at 6-foot-7 and have ridiculously long arms to match. Zimmer loves his edge-setters and both look capable of that with some refinement.”

If the Vikings can find value at defensive end in the later rounds of the NFL draft, then the team could focus on shoring up the offensive line and defense back corps earlier on.

Last draft, Minnesota hit on plenty of its 15 picks. It likely needs similar fate for 2021 in order to compete for the postseason. A big part of that will be focusing on the talent that the team can land later on in the draft process.