Kansas City Chiefs OL coach Andy Heck provided an intriguing update on rookie OL Darian Kinnard on Thursday.
Coming out of the 2022 NFL draft, the sense seemed to be that the team would start Kinnard at the position he played in college (right tackle) and go from there. While other NFL clubs told him they viewed him as a guard, the Chiefs wanted to at least give Kinnard a shot at tackle. He received the majority of his snaps during the offseason program at right tackle, but he always knew in the back of his mind he had to be prepared to play any spot.
On the team’s opening depth chart, Kinnard was listed as a second-string right tackle behind Andrew Wylie. He still hasn’t moved from that spot on the depth chart, but with the return of Lucas Niang, Heck says that Kinnard has been getting more and more work at the guard position.
“(Darian) Kinnard, really has grown – we’ve seen him grow,” Heck said. “He played the tackle position and then we’ve been getting him some more guard work. I think he’s got that kind of flex to whether he can play either or, but he’s taken to that guard position in there and looks great.”
Kinnard has contributed the least amount of the Chiefs’ rookie draft class, with just six snaps on special teams so far this season, but that doesn’t mean he’s not making good progress. Given Heck’s comments, it sounds like Kinnard’s future with the team might be on the interior offensive line, with the ability to flex out and play tackle in a pinch. A role that is reminiscent of what Andrew Wylie played for the team prior to his promotion to right tackle.
It’d likely take a few injuries for Kinnard to see the field this season, but with both Joe Thuney and Trey Smith dinged up at various points of the year, it’s good to have the rookie on his toes and ready to contribute.
