Quarterback competition brewing in Kansas City?
Not quite, but Travis Kelce heaped praise on the Chiefs’ new backup quarterback Carson Wentz after working with the veteran this week at Chiefs OTAs.
“Carson’s absolutely killing it, man,” Travis said Friday on the “New Heights’ podcast he co-hosts with brother Jason, a former teammate of Wentz’s with the Eagles.
“He’s dicing up every time he goes out there, throwing bombs and throwing lasers he’s got all the attributes. And you can see it when he’s on the practice field for sure.”
Wentz will provide a veteran backup behind three-time Super Bowl champ Patrick Mahomes after spending most of his eight-year career as a starter for the Eagles, Colts and Commanders.
Wentz, 31, accepted a backup spot with the Rams last season and impressed in a season-ending win against the 49ers in which both teams were resting most of their starters.
“Me, Carson and Pat all went out and played some golf and just got to know him a little bit more and he’s going to be a great addition to the locker room, to this team,” Kelce said.
“He’s a very motivated, very locked-in competition and you can tell by the way he carries himself that he’s going to be ready if his number’s ever called, man. Honestly man, seeing him sling the ball around, you can see how good he is and how he’s had an unbelievable amount of success in the NFL and I think him learning under coach (Andy) Reid and seeing how Pat does things on the football field, I think he cannot only fit in but take his game to another level, man, really help this team out in the long run.”
The Chiefs would be perfectly happy, though, if Wentz did not see the field at all this season, as Mahomes has only missed four games since becoming the starter in the 2018 season.
Wentz was not the only notable addition to the offense this offseason, with the Chiefs adding two speedy receivers in free-agent signing Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and first-round draft pick Xavier Worthy.
It comes with the future of breakout rookie Rashee Rice in jeopardy amid legal issues this offseason.
“I don’t want to get anybody excited right now, but we look like a fine-tuned athletic machine right now,” Kelce said of the Chiefs, who aim to become the first three-peat Super Bowl champions in NFL history.
“I’m not going to lie, man, guys are flying around. We’re in shorts, you’re right, we don’t have any pads on so guys are moving pretty quick … It was cool the first time to really see Hollywood Brown go against a defense in a Chiefs helmet, see Pat throw the ball to him, see my guy [rookie tight end] Jared Wiley in the tight end room, see how he feels defenses and runs routes, just kind of picking his brain and seeing where he’s at and on top of that, its always a fun time seeing Pat Mahomes slam the ball around in a 7-on-7, man, it’s a whole lot of fun, meeting all the rookies and getting everybody back acclimated into the football world, which is always good.”
The Chiefs officially begin their title defense with an AFC Championship rematch against the Ravens on Sept. 5.
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