Former Kansas City Chiefs No. 1 overall pick Eric Fisher has a new home in the AFC. On Monday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Michigan native signed a one-year, $9.4 million deal with the Indianapolis Colts.
Pro Bowl LT Eric Fisher is signing a one-year, $9.4 million deal with the Indianapolis Colts, per source. The former No. 1 overall pick now will be Carson Wentz’s blindside protector.
Coming off an embarrassing loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV, head coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach cleaned house the earliest chance they got in the offseason. On March 11, they released Fisher as well as veteran offensive lineman Mitch Schwartz.
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Fisher was a prominent member of Kansas City’s offensive line since he began his career at Arrowhead Stadium in 2013. However, he suffered an Achilles injury during the AFC Championship showdown against the Buffalo Bills on January 24, consequently ending his season and now tenure with the AFC West powerhouse.
Fisher Has an Unlikely Connection to Colts GM
Should he successfully rehab in time to start this fall, this could be a bargain deal for Indiana, who now have Carson Wentz under center. News began to travel fast about the AFC South side making a connection with him. Days after the draft, Fisher traveled to the Colts’ facility for a visit.
Perhaps it’s easy to see why Fisher landed at Lucas Oil Stadium so fast following his first meeting. General manager Chris Ballard served as Kansas City’s director of player personnel the year Fisher was drafted in 2013. He was then promoted to director of football operations. Prior to his departure from the team, Ballard played a role in the 30-year-old’s four-year, $48 million extension in 2016.
Could Schwartz Return to Arrowhead?
Naturally, Chiefs Kingdom was shocked with Mitch Schwartz’s exit. However, the 31-year-old is not ruling out a return to the midwest.
As a guest on the KCSP-AM show April 29, Schwartz confirmed he would return if he received that coveted call from Veach.
“Yeah, I think so. It comes down to dollars, and what I want to do guys are kinda on the street in August, there are a lot of older guys that are used to making a certain amount of money and their injury situation or age, usefulness or kind of declined a little bit they’re not ready to take that pay cut. I would obviously entertain coming back here if everything lined up health-wise and all the other sides of things.”
The former California Golden Bear also toted connections he made and how Kansas City really feels like “home” as catalysts for his possible return.
“It sounds corny, but it just felt like home. It seemed like the place to be, the place to raise our family. We don’t have any kids yet, got two little dogs. It’s a great place to raise kids, an easy town to live in. It’s not Los Angeles with all the traffic and smog, 20 million people. I know the most people here, the most connections moving somewhere else, just didn’t feel right to go somewhere else and basically start from scratch. (It) felt like home and kind of solidified after the Super Bowl that this is where I want to be long-term. I feel like I have a strong bond with the city, it’s fun to see people, and they say hi and know who you are and are real respectful about it.”
Only time will tell if we’ll see Schwartz back in that fiery red and white.
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Former Chiefs No. 1 Overall Pick Finds New Home With AFC Rival: Report