Chiefs expected to sign rugby star

Louis Rees-Zammit.

The Chiefs are getting creative as they seek some additional offensive firepower. The team is set to sign rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit, according to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report.

The 23-year-old worked out for the Chiefs earlier this week and impressed the staff. According to Schultz, Rees-Zammit attracted interest from around the NFL, as the rugby wing also visited with the Jets, Browns, and Broncos. Rees-Zammit previously announced that he’d be leaving Gloucester Rugby with the hopes of catching on with the NFL International Player Pathway Program.

In Kansas City, Rees-Zammit will be utilized in a running back/wide receiver hybrid role. The six-foot-three athlete will also be utilized in the return game, with Schultz noting that the NFL’s recent kickoff rule changes could make Rees-Zammit a “significant” addition. Per the new rule, only the kicker and returner can move before the ball hits the ground, a change that the NFL is hoping will reduce high-speed collisions.

Rees-Zammit posted a 4.43-second 40-yard dash time during his pro day last week. He also recorded a 9-foot-7 broad jump and 29-inch vertical jump, per Timothy Rapp of Bleacher Report. The rookie certainly possesses the physical attributes to contribute in both the receiving and running game, and he could earn a roster spot on an uncertain Kansas City depth chart.

The Chiefs brought in Marquise Brown to partly solve their WR woes, adding him to a grouping that already includes holdovers like Rashee Rice, Justin Watson, Skyy Moore, and Kadarius Toney. Rees-Zammit might have an easier path to playing time at the RB position, where the team still hasn’t re-signed Jerick McKinnon. That opens up a third-down role behind Isiah Pacheco, where Rees-Zammit could compete with the likes of La’Mical Perine, Deneric Prince, and Keaontay Ingram.

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