Justin Reid has spent a lot of his NFL profession attempting to forestall receivers from catching the soccer or scoring touchdowns. But the Kansas City Chiefs security says he is now making ready to enter the following section of his profession — dealing with kickoffs.
The two-time Super Bowl champion defensive again says he’s slated to turn into the Chiefs’ go-to for kickoffs in 2024. Kicker Harrison Butker has been the staff’s major choice for kickoffs since he arrived in 2017.
However, the NFL is about to implement new guidelines which might be anticipated to considerably alter kickoffs within the upcoming season.
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The new guidelines will successfully discourage groups from kicking the ball into the other finish zone for a touchback, which also needs to improve the frequency of returns.
Reid has seven profession kickoff makes an attempt as he has stuffed in for Butker at occasions when the kicker was out as a consequence of harm.
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Reid touted his tackling skill when discussing potential benefits he may have on kickoffs.
“The benefit for us is that if I’m doing the job — which is what we’re planning on doing — then I can fill that final hole, so it makes it just a little bit simpler and no one must win two gaps,” Reid mentioned on a current episode of the podcast “Green Light with Chris Long.”
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy makes an attempt to keep at bay Kansas City Chiefs security Justin Reid throughout Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Feb. 11. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated through Getty Images)
Butker will now be capable of focus solely on subject objectives.
“We’re in an ideal place with it,” Reid mentioned. “Although I do know [Butker] could make some tackles, I believe he’s excited to protect himself, and we will use him the place we actually want him, which is these fourth-quarter conditions to go nail a 60-yard subject purpose and win the sport. It can be devastating to try to trot a man on the market who’s nonetheless nicked up from attempting to make a sort out within the second quarter.”
Harrison Butker of the Kansas City Chiefs makes an attempt to kick a subject purpose throughout Super Bowl LVII in opposition to the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Feb. 11. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
Per the brand new kickoff guidelines, the ball can be kicked from the 35-yard line with 10 different members of particular groups lined up on the opposing 40-yard line. Five gamers shall be lined up on both sides of the sphere.
The return staff could have not less than 9 blockers lined up within the so-called “arrange zone” between the 30- and 35-yard traces. At least seven of these gamers shall be touching the 35-yard line. Two returners shall be allowed inside their very own 20-yard line.
Only the kicker and the 2 returners can be allowed to maneuver till both the ball hits the bottom or is touched by a returner contained in the 20-yard line.
Chiefs particular groups coordinator Dave Toub mentioned the brand new guidelines put an emphasis on having a dependable tackler operating from the 35-yard line.
“Justin can cowl, he can kick, and he can go down there and make tackles,” Toub mentioned. “He’s an additional man they’re in all probability not accounting for. … A man like Justin is a man they’ve to fret about. They need to get him blocked, they usually have to surrender blocking another person.”
Reid added that kicking methods shall be “fully flipped” in 2024.
“The entire dynamic of grasp time has fully flipped,” he mentioned. “Normally, on kickoff, kickers are nice at attempting to have a four-second grasp time to provide guys time to get down the sphere, however now you are attempting to maintain the ball as little as doable whereas nonetheless in play. You’re attempting to get it to hit the bottom as a result of when the ball hits the bottom, that is now your grasp time. Guys can take off at that time and nevertheless a lot time it takes the returner to choose up the ball, that is them losing time.”
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Reid hopes his skill to kick off helps prolong his NFL profession.
“We may need added a while to my profession. You may’ve prolonged my present a pair years,” Reid mentioned. “When I’m finished being the beginning man on security, I can flip into that rotational third security and likewise be a kickoff specialist.”
The new kickoff guidelines will bear a trial run this upcoming season and shall be topic to renewal for 2025.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
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