Chief Roster: Team should take hard look at re-signing TE Jody Fortson

On Sunday, we realized that the Miami Dolphins have launched former Kansas City Chiefs tight finish Jody Fortson.

In his newest roster projection on Friday, Arrowhead Pleasure’s Pete Sweeney predicted the team would keep four tight ends on the 53-man roster cutdown, which have to be carried out earlier than 3 p.m. (Arrowhead Time) on Tuesday.

Tight ends (4): Travis Kelce, Noah Grey, Jared Wiley, Irv Smith Jr.
IN: Irv Smith Jr.

I’ve gone forwards and backwards on Smith all through these projections. On this ultimate iteration, I’ve determined to incorporate him. Excluding Prince opened up a roster spot — one which I feel may go to Smith, because it permits Reid to get artistic with 4 tight ends on the sphere concurrently.

As soon as he lastly made the roster (after two seasons on the follow squad) Fortson spent 2021 and 2022 with the staff. He missed the 2023 season on injured reserve earlier than being allowed to signal with the Miami Dolphins. So he now holds three Super Bowl rings earned with the Chiefs.

It’s my opinion, the Chiefs ought to convey him again for a fourth.

A fast statistical comparability between Fortson and Irv Smith Jr. doesn’t painting Fortson as a really enticing choice to interchange the four-year veteran.

However since Fortson has higher charge statistics than Smith, a deeper look is so as. Smith has appeared in 49 video games over 4 seasons, whereas Fortson has simply 19 to his credit score. As well as, Smith has carried a a lot greater proportion of offensive snaps with the Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals. Smith has amassed 1,772 NFL snaps in comparison with Fortson’s 238.

Utilizing that ratio to place Fortson on the identical footing with Smith on their counting stats, we get this:

It’s cheap to ask if Fortson can stay wholesome sufficient to play one other season in Kansas Metropolis; that might simply be why the staff let him stroll in March. He’s additionally 29, whereas Smith is 26. However each gamers entered the league in 2019 — and there may be little doubt that Fortson is extra in tune with the Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes than Smith can ever hope to be.

In my thoughts, that is an apparent transfer Kansas Metropolis may make earlier than the roster cutdown. After waiving broad receiver Jaaron Hayek with an harm designation on Wednesday (after clearing waivers on Thursday, Hayek is now on the staff’s Reserve/Injured record), there’s even a roster spot accessible.

The Chiefs, nevertheless, may even see it in a different way. How about you?