Andy Reid Reveals Chiefs' Plans for Louis Rees-Zammit

The Kansas City Chiefs turned some heads a few weeks ago when they announced they were signing Welsh rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit. This unconventional yet fascinating signing excited Chiefs fans as they hoped to have another high-upside player on the roster with a different skill set. However, no one quite knew how the Chiefs would utilize the speedster.

Head Coach Andy Reid finally shed some light on how he plans to bring him along in the NFL. The 23-year-old clearly possesses enough speed and athleticism but there will certainly be a learning curve in a different sport. To make the transition as seamless as possible, Reid revealed that they are going to start him off at running back.

Chiefs News: Louis Rees-Zammit Will Start Off As a Running Back

When he was first signed, fans had assumed that the rugby star would have a large role on the special teams. Especially with the new kickoff rules, rugby players may have an advantage due to the similar formations on the field. Reid didn't close the door on the possibility of Rees-Zammit being utilized on returns.

Saying that special teams coordinator Dave Toub will also be working with Rees-Zammit to see how it goes, Reid is keeping his options open for the 23-year-old. However, giving him some reps as a running back seems to be the move for now.

"We’ll start him off at the running back position and get him to feel comfortable with that. Going forward here, he’s had an opportunity to also go down there to Dallas and work with Pat and so again, he’ll get used to some of these calls through our Zooms and the plays, and then we’ll just see where it goes from there."

- Chiefs HC Andy Reid

This makes plenty of sense as the role of a running back is probably the most similar to a rugby player. Running with the ball, absorbing contact, and avoiding tackles are skills that should presumably be able to translate to the NFL.

Rees-Zammit will need some time. It can't be easy to transition to a different sport in the middle of your professional career. But, if any team is going to use him right, it will be the Chiefs under Andy Reid. We can't wait to see how this experiment goes.

The addition of Rees-Zammit to the offense doesn't mean the Chiefs are done bolstering their offensive unit. In next week's NFL Draft, Kansas City is expected to draft a wide receiver with their first-round pick. FanDuel Sportsbook has their odds of drafting a WR at -120, implying a 54.5% probability. Head over to FanDuel now to take advantage of these odds and claim your $150 in bonus bets after your first $5 wager.

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