Fixing the Chiefs RT Problem Through Practice Squad Signings
by Ted Kluck
The good news is, the Kansas City Chiefs already have a young superstar at LT in rookie Josh Simmons, from Ohio State, who already looks like a seasoned vet. The bad news is, RT is still a huge issue, with Jawaan Taylor continuing last season’s penalty-palooza with false starts, lining up in the backfield, and overall subpar play hamstringing his offense’s potential effectiveness. An effectiveness already hamstrung by suspensions (Rashee Rice) and injuries (Xavier Worthy) to its weaponry.
And a series or two without Simmons on Sunday was…not pretty, to say the least. In the interest of full transparency, I’m not a Chiefs fan, but I also don’t want to see them suck, and don’t want to see Patrick Mahomes running for his life in the prime of his career. I also don’t want to see ascending stars like Simmons, Creed Humphrey, and Trey Smith undermined by subpar RT play.
That said, I did some practice squad shopping to see if there are better tackle options on the market. The question with all of these guys is, of course, “Is he a better option than Taylor right now?” But also, could he be developed into a better option, with time? That’s where I’d be on Pierce, and I think Skipper might be a better immediate stopgap. I think I’m kind of ambivalent on Munford. Here are the write-ups:
A Rookie Option
Rookie RT Hollin Pierce really flashed for me when I studied his college tape before the draft…here’s where I landed on him:
OT Hollin Pierce, (Eagles Practice Squad)
6’8” 344
Games Studied: 2024 Washington, Virginia Tech
Pros: This guy has a unique NFL frame, and bulk, that you just don’t see everyday, and that you can’t coach. The weight is distributed perfectly for athletic movement. Plays with awesome leverage and point-of-attack play-strength in the run game, for a man that tall. Good leg drive, and good second-level land-rate. Again, you expect a guy that big to lumber a bit to the second level, but he gets there efficiently (if not elegantly). They ran behind him a lot. He’s an absolute washout down-blocker, and shows athletic ability to redirect on the fly. He’s not the smoothest pass-setter (more below), but when guys get into his chest he sits down and anchors with ease and athleticism. Pierce’s arms also appear to be a mile long, on tape, which creates a unique geometric problem for rushers, and I actually like his hand-placement better than Campbell’s.
It’s actually hard to find a physical comp for this guy, which is what makes him so fascinating. Daniel Faalele and Trent Brown are both quite a bit heavier. It’s hard to believe a guy can look “lean” at 344, but Pierce pulls it off. In fact, his best physical comp is probably Orlando Brown Sr. who had a nice career in the 90s.
Cons: There’s a lumbering, lurching, waist-bending quality to Pierce’s movement at times that is reminiscent of Dawand Jones’s college tape. His feet are good, but there’s a little stiffness to Pierce’s movement in general, and I’m worried he might get exposed by NFL EDGE speed and elite athletes at the next level. Pierce was a walk-on at Rutgers, after only playing two seasons of high school football at around 400 pounds. Some of this lack of polish could be due to relative inexperience.
A Semi-Experienced Option
Thayer Munford, (Patriots Practice Squad)
6’5” 354
Munford has started 18 NFL games, offers T/G versatility, has intriguing size, and is still young at age 25. Here’s what I wrote about his college tape in 2022:
Positives: Versatile. Played LT and LG for Ohio State in many big games against big opponents, sometimed mid-game (like vs. Purdue). Incidentally, is the kind of college G/T that could really play either at the next level. Has the kind of height and length you look for in an NFL tackle. When he plays with knee-bend and leverage in the run game, can really road-grade. Long arms. When he extends and clamps he can be effective. I’ll say this: I like him better than Darian Kennard, who has a similar body of work.
Negatives: Weird body type. Tall (6’6”). A little knock-kneed and thin through the shoulders and lower leg – all his weight is hips and rear-end. Not real fleet of foot, or agile. Munford projects best when confined to a short area. Will drop his eyes, bend at the waist, and miss…even in a short area. When he’s inside at Guard will get exposed by a quicker 3-tech.
An Older Option
Dan Skipper (Lions Practice Squad)
6’9” 334
Skipper, age 30, has been my favorite camp/preseason/depth-type OL over the past several years. He’s started 11 games and has played both tackle and guard for Detroit in meaningful action - often serving as their extra tackle in heavier sets. Skipper has unique length and athleticism, for a man of his size, and has held up well in his limited starts. Skipper played 323 snaps in 2024, allowing only 1 sack and 12 pressures.
He filled in for LT Taylor Decker at times last season and had his best game against Green Bay, playing 80 snaps, allowing one pressure and no sacks. He also famously puked in the locker room during Dan Campbell’s postgame speech, and caught a touchdown pass, cementing his cult-hero status in Detroit.