It’s time to show an unsung hero of the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl roster some respect — according to CBS Sports writer Cody Benjamin.
During an article covering the entire NFL, Benjamin called Chiefs left guard Joe Thuney “underappreciated,” and it’s hard to argue he’s wrong. The iron man offensive lineman has flown under the radar throughout his career, with 128 starts over seven NFL campaigns including the playoffs.
“Center Creed Humphrey rightfully gets lots of love, and new tackles Donovan Smith and Jawaan Taylor are well-paid. But Thuney has done nothing but live up to his own spendy free-agent deal since coming over from the [New England] Patriots,” Benjamin voiced. “Even with the All-Pro nod as Patrick Mahomes’ most accomplished interior protector, he deserves more respect around the NFL.”
Chiefs’ Joe Thuney Was Worth Every Penny in 2021
After falling to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2020-21 Super Bowl largely due to the health of the offensive line, KC general manager Brett Veach made a decision to invest in his blocking unit.
Thuney was the big-name free agent that offseason, as the Chiefs handed him $80 million over five years. So far, he’s been worth every penny as a stalwart interior blocker and insurance offensive tackle in a pinch.
Since then, Kansas City has made the O-line a priority, drafting Humphrey and Trey Smith. They also traded for Orlando Brown Jr. before replacing him with the aforementioned Taylor and Smith.
The game plan? Give Mahomes time to operate. So long as he has that, he can make magic happen.
NFL Writer Urges Chiefs to Sign OL Joe Haeg
Despite their depth on the O-line, Bleacher Report writer Jake Rill suggested that the Chiefs sign one more versatile veteran to help support Mahomes and the offense in 2023.
“It can never hurt to have too much depth across the offensive line,” Rill noted. “So while Kansas City appears to be set at every position up front, it couldn’t hurt to bring in a versatile player capable of serving as a backup at multiple spots.”
“Joe Haeg fits that bill,” he went on. “The 30-year-old mostly plays tackle, but he could potentially slide inside and fill a guard role if needed. He could be a great addition to the Chiefs’ O-line mix for that reason.”
Haeg is a former fifth-round selection that has been in the league since 2016. He started his first couple of seasons with the Indianapolis Colts but turned into more of a key backup after that.
The long-time journeyman blocker actually played for the Bucs Super Bowl team that beat the Chiefs, although he didn’t log any playoff appearances.
“Haeg may be willing to sign a low-cost deal, considering he played only one game for the Cleveland Browns last season due to concussion issues,” Rill explained. “So he’ll be looking to prove that he can stay healthy and keep his career going.”
He concluded that “even if Haeg doesn’t play a ton for Kansas City, it’d be nice to have him as a viable backup option. And it likely wouldn’t cost the Chiefs a ton to make that happen.”
The only issue with bringing in Haeg is roster space. KC has their work cut out for them with roster cuts this summer, and another veteran could mean one less youngster makes the 53-man squad. At the same time, competition breeds excellence, and more experience in training camp is never a bad thing.
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Trusty Chiefs Veteran Gets National Praise: ‘Deserves More Respect’