Why one NFL prospect would be an instant fan favorite if selected by the Chiefs
The rivalry between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals is probably the best rivalry currently going in professional sports (sorry Yankees/Red Sox…that rivalry has lost its luster a bit). Kansas City and Cincinnati are the two best teams in the NFL these days. And the rivalry between the Chiefs and the Bengals isn't […]
The rivalry between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals is probably the best rivalry currently going in professional sports (sorry Yankees/Red Sox…that rivalry has lost its luster a bit).
Kansas City and Cincinnati are the two best teams in the NFL these days.
And the rivalry between the Chiefs and the Bengals isn't exactly considered friendly.
There was a ton of trash talk exchanged between the two teams leading up to their showdown in the AFC Championship game this past season.
From "Burrowhead" to the mayor of Cincinnati throwing shade at Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, there was no shortage of bulletin board material flying back and forth between the two elite teams.
A perfect option in the 2023 NFL Draft for the Chiefs
There's a player in the 2023 NFL Draft that would fit in perfectly with the Chiefs amid their budding rivalry with the Bengals.
Tennessee Vols offensive tackle Darnell Wright is a true right tackle who would fill a need for the Chiefs.
Wright didn't give up a sack in 2022 despite playing against Alabama's Will Anderson and LSU's BJ Ojulari. The West Virginia native plays with a nasty attitude that helps him excel in the trenches.
He also plays with a chip on his shoulder. That's evident from his reply to a Bengals fan/podcaster this week.
Wright used some NSFW language to reply to a Bengals podcaster (via a direct message on Twitter) who suggested that the former Vol is exclusively a right tackle.
Wright apologized for the message in a since-deleted tweet.
Wright should've probably just ignored the comment from Willie Lutz, but I can understand his frustration. Sure, athletes are in the spotlight, but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with criticism. And while Lutz is probably correct that Wright is better suited for right tackle, he's proven he can play left tackle, too.
In fact, Wright played 922 snaps at left tackle in 2021 and gave up just three sacks (he gave up zero sacks in 2022 while playing right tackle).
It's not completely fair to compare Wright's numbers in 2021 to his numbers in 2022 as the 2021 season was Wright's first time playing in Josh Heupel's up-tempo offense. There was undoubtedly a big adjustment period for Wright and the rest of Tennessee's offensive line.
Regardless of the numbers, it's clear that Wright would be a good fit in Kansas City (he'd be reunited with his former Vols teammate Trey Smith, too). And he's already giving Bengals fans the business.
The only problem for the Chiefs is that Wright likely won't fall to Kansas City in the first round. So if the Chiefs want to bring the former Vols standout to Kansas City, they'll probably need to consider trading up in the first round.
It might be worth it to land a franchise offensive tackle.
Update:
Here's the full apology from Wright.
