Chiefs' Andy Reid explains why he is doing something he has never done before
The Kansas City Chiefs are doing things a little differently in 2023 when it comes to their playbook than they have the last few years. If you follow how the roster is being constructed this upcoming year, then you probably noticed two things: Mike Burton is now on the Denver Broncos, and the Chiefs don't […]
The Kansas City Chiefs are doing things a little differently in 2023 when it comes to their playbook than they have the last few years.
If you follow how the roster is being constructed this upcoming year, then you probably noticed two things: Mike Burton is now on the Denver Broncos, and the Chiefs don't have a full back on the roster. So, that means some things with the playbook will be a bit different.
The Chiefs have had a fullback on the roster since 2013 when Anthony Sherman was. In 2020 Sherman retired and they brought Mike Burton onto the scene. With Burton in Denver and the Chiefs not signing a full back, the offense can look a bit different than what we are used to.
The offense won't be extremely different, but the personnel will be the biggest thing that changes. Andy Reid let everyone know his plans for 2023 now that he doesn't have a full back.
“Yeah so the tight ends can work into that spot," Reid told the media when asked about not having a fullback in 2023. "We know Noah (Gray) can do all of that and that’s kind of where we went with it. We’ve got a number of tight ends that we feel comfortable with so maybe you keep an extra tight end as opposed to that full back.”
Noah Gray is a guy that has shown improved inline blocking, which is what they will need out of a full back for the few times they do use one. One of their most used plays from the full back's perspective is the FB Dive, which is where the FB is lined up in front of the running back and they fake like the ball is going to the running back, but instead, a guy like Burton or Sherman would have ran it in for a touchdown on goal line or one yard to go situations.
Now they won't have that play, but the league was going away from that anyways. Gray doesn't have the build that Burton or Sherman had to run between the tackles in a stuffed box. The situations Gray will be used for are the fullback flats Mahomes used to throw to guys like Sherman in the past. Maybe some play-action here and there, too.
Noah Gray did play full back some in college at Duke but never was used a ton as a run blocker inside the tackles. This won't change things a whole lot, but it's still very important. I mean, Reid has had a full back on the roster since he came to the Chiefs, and even the year before that with Romeo Crennel the Chiefs had a full back.
But, who knows the Chiefs could bring it back eventually. I mean, it has been a staple of their offense since 2013.
“We normally don’t have the number of tight ends that we’ve got here. I would go back, I mean, that’s not a problem. We liked what we had last year with it but again, we were always – without the injuries we were going to have to juggle that last year somehow. Guys got banged up.”
This won't make things easier or harder, or anything like that. It's honestly really small, and most coaches have gone away from using the position. Andy Reid is finally comfortable doing so.
