The Kansas City Chiefs have added a new center to the mix, signing veteran center Daniel Kilgore to the roster on Thursday. The team continues to add salty veterans to the offensive line, adding nearly 4,000 snaps of experience over the span of nine seasons with Kilgore.
The team went through plenty of attrition along the offensive line in 2019 on their way to Super Bowl LIV. Having a number of veterans in the fold provides the team with plug and play options throughout the grueling season.
Here’s a look at three plays that show what exactly the Chiefs are getting in their newest player:
Solid awareness
I wanted to point to a play, like with my Adrian Colbert review, where Kilgore indirectly helped the Chiefs by making a good play. This was two plays prior to the Mike Gesicki touchdown for the Dolphins that gave them the lead over the New England Patriots in Week 17 in 2019. Kilgore is playing center, wearing No. 67 for Miami.
I’ve noticed that Kilgore is always ready for whatever tricks the defense tries to throw at him in pass protection. He makes good IDs on blitzes, twists and stunts. I was really impressed with how he passes off the nose tackle and picked up the blitzing Dont’a Hightower here. He gives Ryan Fitzpatrick just enough time to make the throw to former Chiefs WR Albert Wilson.
It might seem like a really ordinary play from Kilgore, but when you consider the types of pressure looks that Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense will see this year, it’s important to play on your toes.
Functional mobility
Kilgore probably doesn’t have the mobility of his 20-something counterparts in the Chiefs’ locker room. That’s okay, though, because he doesn’t need it to be effective.
He gets the job done, both working as a pulling blocker in the run game and as a lead blocker in the screen game. I really liked this particular cut block from Kilgore because it helped to wall off a lane for Myles Gaskin to run for a 10-plus yard gain and the first down.
In general, I feel like Kilgore is more effective as a blocker in the run game when he can get a full head of steam. The same goes for blocking in the screen game, he takes good angles and knows how to take defenders out of the play and give his guys a chance to make a play.
Reach & redirect
This was a legendary trick play that the Dolphins ran last season with punter Matt Haack lining up as the quarterback. Really, the whole thing confused the defense, but this play doesn’t happen if Kilgore doesn’t execute his block.
No. 47, LB Nathan Gerry, is lined up off the left of Kilgore. In order for this play to work, Kilgore has to make a killer reach block against Gerry, who is by and large a faster athlete. Not only does Kilgore land his block, but he seals off Gerry and keeps his hands down. That makes this an easy pass for Haack, with no chance of it being deflected.
I know this wasn’t a run, but these are generally the types of blocks that Kilgore excels at in the run game. He’ll struggle to get movement head-on, but he’s really good once he gets moving laterally to redirect defenders away from the play.
