Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones has been away from the team this offseason, but he’s also been hard at work. Not a day goes by that he doesn’t seem to post some sort of video of him training. He’s letting all of Chiefs Kingdom know that he continues to strive to be great, even if contract negotiations are keeping him away from the team.
Recently, one of the premier pass-rush experts posted a video of Jones training with him. Chuck Smith is a name you might have heard before. He’s a former NFL veteran who spent eight seasons playing rush defensive end with the Atlanta Falcons.
Smith now spends his time training others in the art of pass-rush. He’s worked with great NFL players such as Von Miller, Aaron Donald, former Chiefs outside linebacker Dee Ford, and recently he even worked with Chiefs defensive tackle Xavier Williams.
“Just another weapon in the arsenal,” Smith wrote. “[Chris Jones] is adding the cross chop to his game!”
The cross chop is a pass-rush move that’s become the signature move of Smith. It’s one of the most deadly moves because it combines power and finesse into a single quick-hitting move. You hit an offensive lineman’s forearm with a powerful chop and dip around them.
Smith has taught it to many players and they’ve successfully brought it to the NFL. You can use this move from an interior defensive line position, but it’s also extremely successful when you’re trying to win off the edge.
Jones is coming off his best season as a professional, where he had 15.5 sacks. It’s clear that he’s trying to build on that season by refining his skill set. He’s living every day like it’s third-and-8, and that will help him when he makes his eventual return to the Chiefs during training camp.
