Rees-Zammit ends audition for Chiefs roster spot

Louis Rees-Zammit had agleam moments connected his last chance to impressment successful preseason and liking his declare for a spot connected nan Kansas City Chiefs' 53-man regular play roster.

The Chiefs were good beaten 34-21 by nan Chicago Bears connected Thursday night, pinch nan erstwhile Wales rugby prima erstwhile again utilised successful a number of roles.

Rees-Zammit was introduced connected discourtesy successful nan 2nd half aft a mates of typical teams snaps successful nan first 2 quarters.

Watched connected by his family, nan 23-year-old made 36 yards connected a footwear return and showed betterment arsenic a moving back.

The item of his capacity came early successful nan 4th fourth arsenic he rushed for 10 yards and a first down, nan longest of his young NFL career.

Now Rees-Zammit must hold for nan franchise to determine who makes nan trim from 90 players down to 53 for nan commencement of nan 2024 NFL season.

Head coach Andy Reid and nan remainder of nan backroom unit astatine nan Chiefs person until 21:00 BST connected Tuesday, 27 August to finalise their regular play roster.

Back successful January 2024, Rees-Zammit stunned nan rugby world connected nan time Wales named their Six Nations squad.

The 23-year-old announced he would time off nan athletics instantly successful bid to prosecute "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity".

Rees-Zammit took portion successful nan 2024 NFL International Player Pathway (IPP), a 10-week clang people designed to thatch players nan skills to win successful nan NFL.

In precocious March, Rees-Zammit had nan chance to impressment scouts astatine nan University of South Florida's Pro Day, and he made an impression.

The New York Jets, Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos each met pinch nan erstwhile Wales wing, earlier Rees-Zammit signed a three-year woody pinch nan Chiefs.

In May 2024, Rees-Zammit met his caller team-mates for nan first clip - wherever he compared backmost Patrick Mahomes to erstwhile Wales fly-half Dan Biggar.

Rees-Zammit spent nan early portion of nan summertime continuing to amended his on-field skills, while besides studying nan Chiefs' extended playbook.

The Chiefs returned to training campy successful precocious July, pinch Rees-Zammit having eye-catching moments among others which highlighted his inexperience successful nan sport.

Then came clip for his debut against nan Jacksonville Jaguars connected 10 August, wherever Rees-Zammit performed arsenic moving back, kicker and kick-returner.

A week later he made his location debut astatine Arrowhead against nan Detroit Lions, erstwhile again appearing successful a number of positions which highlighted his versatility.

The Chiefs rounded disconnected preseason pinch Thursday night's nonaccomplishment against nan Bears, their 3rd consecutive conclusion of preseason.

Rees-Zammit was erstwhile again made to hold to return to nan field, but he gained much acquisition connected typical teams and astatine moving backmost during nan game.

After announcing his determination to prosecute a profession successful nan NFL, Rees-Zammit said he was targeting a domiciled connected offense.

"Running back, receiver, a spot of a hybrid. Whatever I get told, I will do," Rees-Zammit said backmost successful January.

Rees-Zammit had constricted opportunities astatine moving backmost and wide receiver during nan Chiefs' 3 preseason games.

Based connected nan short sample size, and his ratio erstwhile presented pinch nan opportunities, it appears improbable Rees-Zammit will carve retired a domiciled successful either position connected offence successful 2024.

To make matters worse for Rees-Zammit, different rookie moving backmost - Carson Steele - has demonstrated elite expertise during preseason, capped disconnected pinch a 31-yard tally and touchdown against nan Bears.

In nan 4th fourth against nan Bears, Rees-Zammit did show glimpses of what he tin connection retired of nan backfield.

He averaged 5.2 yards per transportation complete 4 rushing attempts, a people which is supra nan NFL average.

It is connected typical teams that Rees-Zammit has had much engagement successful preseason.

On his debut, Rees-Zammit made a tackle during a typical teams and besides took a kick-off.

He continued his kicking duties against nan Lions and returned a kick-off for 27 yards.

And against nan Bears, Rees-Zammit recorded his career-high return of 36 yards.

While nan likelihood of Rees-Zammit cracking nan 53-man regular play roster appears to beryllium small, it is not impossible.

The building of NFL rosters is simply a analyzable business, and nan Chiefs are apt to return each nan clip disposable to them to make their decision.

Rees-Zammit is among nan Chiefs players presently connected nan 'roster bubble' - nan sanction fixed to those fighting for nan last fewer spots.

At moving back, nan Chiefs person a clear first-choice successful Isiah Pacheco, while erstwhile first-round prime Clyde Edwards-Helaire should stay portion of nan roster.

The emergence of Steele successful preseason has fixed him a existent changeable astatine making nan regular-season roster astatine moving back, while Rees-Zammit, Prince, Emani Bailey and Keaontay Ingram are besides portion of nan Chiefs' offseason roster.

If Rees-Zammit is to activity his measurement into nan regular play roster it will much apt beryllium arsenic portion of typical teams.

As things stand, location are a number of players up of him connected nan extent floor plan arsenic footwear returners, including nan likes of Mercole Hardman and rookie Xavier Worthy.

Rees-Zammit will person to beryllium himself arsenic a existent threat connected footwear returns to amended his chances of breaking into nan regular-season roster.

Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker - nan highest-paid subordinate astatine nan position successful nan NFL - will proceed to return kick-offs for nan AFC West champions.

Typically, NFL franchises only sanction 1 kicker connected regular play rosters, truthful Rees-Zammit will person to look elsewhere for his roster spot contempt taking kick-offs successful preseason.

The bully news for Rees-Zammit is that his worst lawsuit script is acold from problematic.

If location is nary room connected nan 53-man roster for him, he has a abstraction reserved for him connected nan Chiefs believe squad courtesy of nan IPP.

Traditionally, believe squads had a maximum of 16 players, but from 2024 each NFL franchises tin person 17 if 1 is simply a qualifying subordinate from nan IPP.

Last season, players connected a believe squad had a yearly net of £170,700 - conscionable nether £10,000 for each of nan 18 weeks of nan regular season.

As portion of nan believe squad, Rees-Zammit would stay portion of franchise which has won back-to-back Super Bowls and attracting caller audiences - including Taylor Swift fans arsenic a consequence of her narration pinch Chiefs tight extremity Travis Kelce.

There, Rees-Zammit would proceed to create his skills, and beryllium connected manus to measurement up to nan 53-man roster should injuries occur.

The caller norm changes successful 2024 will besides let nan Chiefs to beforehand Rees-Zammit to nan progressive 53-man squad without taking up a abstraction for a crippled up to 3 times during nan season.

If Rees-Zammit does onshore connected nan believe squad, he will person 12 months to amended earlier getting nan chance show his caller skills successful nan 2025 preseason.