Getty Welsh rugby player Louis Rees-Zammit.
There are very few situations in which an NFL team adds a player and there is no risk involved with that transaction.
But that was essentially the case for the Kansas City Chiefs when they agreed to sign European rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit, which was first reported by Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz on May 27.
Schultz also revealed how Kansas City feels about signing Rees-Zammit and echoed the sentiment of him being a risk-free signing.
“The Chiefs are really excited about this,” Schultz said in a video for Sky Sports News on March 28. “This wasn’t just, ‘Oh, let’s go see what this guy can do.’ They did their homework, they thought he did really, really well at the International Pro Day. We’ve seen some guys have some success there, and they felt like this guy is a tremendous athlete — there’s no downside, only upside.”
What to Know About Louis Rees-Zammit
It doesn’t take much time while watching Rees-Zammit’s rugby highlights to understand why the Chiefs are very interested in the International Pathway Program (IPP) player.
Rees-Zammit, 23, stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs 194 pounds. What stands out when Rees-Zammit, a Wales native, is on the rugby pitch is his quickness and long speed for his size, and all of that is blended with tackle-breaking ability.
He’s now giving up a very successful rugby career to pursue a career in the NFL through the IPP. At the IPP Pro Day, Rees-Zammit ran a 4.43 second 40-yard dash, per the Associated Press on March 22, though he said afterward he was disappointed with that time and believes he can run low 4.3s, high 4.2s.
Rees-Zammit will not count against Kansas City’s 90-man roster or the team’s practice squad due to the IPP roster exemption, which is the main reason why he is essentially a risk-free addition for the two-time defending Super Bowl champions. Rees-Zammit comes at a very low cost and does not take up a roster space.
If Rees-Zammit performs exceptionally, whether it be on offense or special teams, the Chiefs will have found themselves a diamond in the rough via the IPP. But if he can’t transfer his talents from the rugby pitch to an NFL field, then Kansas City can cut ties with him and suffer minimally from it.
Chiefs Have Lots of Cap Room Ahead of Draft
Despite having several holes on the roster leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft, the Chiefs still have quite a bit of cap space.
Though cornerback L’Jarius Sneed‘s $19.8 million cap hit isn’t officially off the books yet, when he is officially off the books Kansas City will have roughly $26 million in cap space. That will give the team the cap room needed to sign several more free agents if they’d like to, whether that’s before or after the draft. They could also make a splash by trading for a player that fills a need as well and still have some financial wiggle room afterward.
Either way, even though Sneed’s elite playmaking is no longer in town, the two-time defending Super Bowl champions have the finances needed to make several key additions with the goal of a three-peat during the 2024 season.
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