The Chiefs have moved cornerback Tremon Smith to running back ... and it might stick

[xen 1,010,220]

The Chiefs have moved cornerback Tremon Smith to running back ... and it might stick | The Kansas City Star

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article233343762.html

BY SAM MCDOWELL

JULY 31, 2019 01:16 PM, UPDATED JULY 31, 2019 08:08 PM

The move began as a half-hearted tease last season, an out-loud thought experiment between two Chiefs coaches. Eventually, though, Andy Reid became serious enough to approach rookie cornerback Tremon Smith with the idea.

Would you be interested in moving to the offensive side of the football?

Well, of course, Smith answered without hesitation. And so in the ensuing days, they glanced over a few packages, shifting Smith from a wildcat quarterback to a slot receiver. But after none of those potential plays materialized in a game, Smith figured that was that.  

Then he ran into Reid during the first day of training camp in St. Joseph.

“Hope you’ve been working on your offensive side,” Reid said, as Smith recalled.

“Of course, coach,” Smith replied. “Always.”

The unusual move is no longer fantasy. As of Wednesday, it’s reality.

The Chiefs shifted Smith from cornerback to running back during training camp practice Wednesday. And if all goes well, it’s a move that just might stick.

Smith, an all-state quarterback in high school, ran with the second-team offense. His first play actually directly preceded the lightning that prompted the practice session to move indoors.

During the indoor portion of Wednesday’s workouts, Smith lined up primarily at running back, occasionally splitting out wide in empty-backfield sets. He carried the ball twice in a no-pads practice, once for a gain and once for a loss.

However long the experiment lasts, Smith will still factor into special teams. He remains the team’s primary kickoff returner.

“I messed with him last year that I was gonna play him a little on the offensive side, so I moved him over today just to take a peek at him,” Reid said. “We’ll see how that goes. We know he can be a corner. But I’d like to see him do some offensive stuff, too.”

Reid said special teams coach Dave Toub first mentioned last season that Smith could be an explosive weapon on offense if presented the opportunity. The two liked the way he handled kickoff-return duties in 2018. The speed stands out.

So Reid began to study the idea. As it turns out, some evidence of its potential success already existed. Smith played quarterback quite well at Saks High in Alabama, earning all-state honors. His last attempt playing running back came during his early high school days.

He switched to cornerback and special teams at Central Arkansas, but when the Chiefs drafted him in the spring of 2018, he mentioned a desire to play with the ball in his hands. Smith ran a 4.38 40-yard dash at his pro day but was clocked as low as 4.3.

“I’m excited,” Smith said. “You gotta be excited catching the ball from the MVP.”

The Chiefs actually used Smith on offense once last season — on the scout team. Ahead of a matchup with the Baltimore Ravens, the Chiefs asked Smith to mimic Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.

On Wednesday, Smith walked around the Chiefs’ locker room at Missouri Western State wearing a red jersey — No. 20 instead of No. 39 — signifying his place on the offense. (The defense wears white.) His teammates thought it might be a joke.

“They couldn’t believe it,” Smith said. “They see me with the red jersey on, and they’re like, ‘Are you doing this for scout team today?’ I’m like, ’No, this is a permanent move. Get used to it.’”

[Calichief 3,016]

More speed on offense.. man oh man.

if this works ... I

[xen 1,010,220]

I remain skeptical.  But who knows, I guess.

[Chiefmanzada 466]

Hope he can catch.. 

[jetlord 10,209]

Just trying to save his job.  T. Smith has no place on defense and probably not required for ST. 

[FANATIC 852]

3 minutes ago, jetlord said:

Just trying to save his job.  T. Smith has no place on defense and probably not required for ST. 

He is DAT. I like his speed and he looked good on returns. I think he sticks. Hyde and other RBs on the bubble.

[DieHard 2,061]

How bad has he looked that he couldn’t compete in this CB group?

[jetlord 10,209]

5 minutes ago, FANATIC said:

He is DAT. I like his speed and he looked good on returns. I think he sticks. Hyde and other RBs on the bubble.

Damien Williams, Hyde, and Thompson are locks.  Smith would have to beat out Darrell Williams to make the RB roster.  He'd have to show skills as a possession receiver and I don't know if he has those.  Guess Reid intends to find out. 

[Thegoatee 1,780]

McCluster... DAT... please no more of these positionless players taking up roster spots. Unless you are Dante Hall or Devin Hester as a returner, you have to do stuff well on the field and make solid contributions.

[FANATIC 852]

5 minutes ago, jetlord said:

Damien Williams, Hyde, and Thompson are locks.  Smith would have to beat out Darrell Williams to make the RB roster.  He'd have to show skills as a possession receiver and I don't know if he has those.  Guess Reid intends to find out. 

Darrel Williams is nobody special. Hyde is not a lock in my opinion. Chiefs could carry 5 rbs.

[FANATIC 852]

1 minute ago, Thegoatee said:

McCluster... DAT... please no more of these positionless players taking up roster spots. Unless you are Dante Hall or Devin Hester as a returner, you have to do stuff well on the field and make solid contributions.

DAT did some good things! Injuries did him in.

[Thegoatee 1,780]

Just now, FANATIC said:

DAT did some good things! Injuries did him in.

Eh, I personally never saw him do anything great consistently to warrant attention and dedicated plays. For every decent play, there were three kick returns not taken to the 15 yard line. He was in the same boat as Demetrius Harris to me.

[FANATIC 852]

15 minutes ago, Thegoatee said:

Eh, I personally never saw him do anything great consistently to warrant attention and dedicated plays. For every decent play, there were three kick returns not taken to the 15 yard line. He was in the same boat as Demetrius Harris to me.

DAT did much more than return kicks. Good guy in a small role. His speed set up others on offense too. Dont forget he played with Alex, Tippie Toes, Smith.

[Calichief 3,016]

The speed of this offense ... 

just maybe nothing like it ever..

[FANATIC 852]

3 minutes ago, Calichief said:

The speed of this offense ... 

just maybe nothing like it ever..

Why not have Mahomes lineup at the depth of a punter and send everyone deep? 

[jetlord 10,209]

2 minutes ago, FANATIC said:

Why not have Mahomes lineup at the depth of a punter and send everyone deep? 

Maybe not at punter depth, but I like the idea of the Chiefs bringing in a 21 package and when the defense goes with a base group, having the RBs split wide before the snap.  The defense simply couldn't cover everyone and we'd see some speed mismatches that would offer great opportunities.  Williams and Thompson are fast enough to give LBs fits   

[Chiefmanzada 466]

Legion of Zoom some have so far called it 

[FANATIC 852]

1 minute ago, Chiefmanzada said:

Legion of Zoom some have so far called it 

Legion of ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM.......😉

[Chiefmanzada 466]

Kelce is a fast mf too, especially for his size

1 minute ago, FANATIC said:

Legion of ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM.......😉

 

[Calichief 3,016]

All 3 wr have sub 4.4 speed.

D Robinson I am not sure about.. too lazy to look

kelce is pretty fast for a TE

who do you cover 

[Chiefmanzada 466]

6 minutes ago, Calichief said:

All 3 wr have sub 4.4 speed.

D Robinson I am not sure about.. too lazy to look

kelce is pretty fast for a TE

who do you cover 

I'm not knockin Conley but I think he slowed the offense down a little last year. 

[jetlord 10,209]

20 minutes ago, Chiefmanzada said:

I'm not knockin Conley but I think he slowed the offense down a little last year. 

Conley was fast, but played slow.  Robinson isn't speedy but is more creative.  His problem is that he's too creative.  Might be good for scrambles and broken plays, but not for a structured passing game.  My thinking was that Hill and Watkins can't be single covered.  So if Kelce, Williams, and another RB all spread out, there just has to be a mismatch.  LBs are chasing faster guys.  The only hope for the defense is to get to Mahomes really quickly, but if they blitz, the coverage is even weaker. 

[xen 1,010,220]

34 minutes ago, Calichief said:

All 3 wr have sub 4.4 speed.

D Robinson I am not sure about.. too lazy to look

kelce is pretty fast for a TE

who do you cover 

 

 

 

[Chiefmanzada 466]

25 minutes ago, jetlord said:

Conley was fast, but played slow.  Robinson isn't speedy but is more creative.  His problem is that he's too creative.  Might be good for scrambles and broken plays, but not for a structured passing game.  My thinking was that Hill and Watkins can't be single covered.  So if Kelce, Williams, and another RB all spread out, there just has to be a mismatch.  LBs are chasing faster guys.  The only hope for the defense is to get to Mahomes really quickly, but if they blitz, the coverage is even weaker. 

I agree, somehow Belicheck managed to hold last year's offense to zero points in the first half. They took away Kelce, Hill, and Watkins.

Reid adjusted and started passing the ball to the RB's on screen plays. This damaged the Patriots whole defensive gameplan, allowing over 30 points the second half. 

Our RBs are key in this offense 

[Mloe68 1,521]

2 hours ago, jetlord said:

Damien Williams, Hyde, and Thompson are locks.  Smith would have to beat out Darrell Williams to make the RB roster.  He'd have to show skills as a possession receiver and I don't know if he has those.  Guess Reid intends to find out. 

I would think that Hyde and Darrell Williams are a bit repetitive and perhaps they are competing against each other. You don't think so? I think they could see Smith as a Jack of all Trades type. CB6, KR1, RB4 ect...Or he needs to learn a new position and will be on special teams. Most likely we will know based on who returns the kicks early in games during the preseason.