Kerkhoff: Did Chiefs’ Jehu Chesson sprint his way onto team?

[Tribal Warfare]

Did Chiefs’ Jehu Chesson sprint his way onto team?


BY BLAIR KERKHOFF
bkerkhoff@kcstar.com




AUGUST 31, 2017 9:42 PM

If a player can make a NFL squad through a single moment, perhaps Jehu Chesson did just that in the second quarter of Thursday’s preseason game against the Tennessee Titans.

Fading back to haul in a punt that traveled 61 yards, Chesson gathered the ball at the 24 near the Titans sideline and started angling right.

He didn’t stop until reaching the end zone for the Chiefs’ first touchdown of the game.

“I made one move and up the field,” Chesson said. “You see it, you’ve got to hit it.”
For the second straight week, the Chiefs hit on a return touchdown. Last week at Seattle, De’Anthony Thomas brought back a kickoff 95 yards.

This time it was Chesson, the rookie from Michigan and fourth-round selection who hadn’t authored much of a stats line in the first three preseason games.

Chesson had three receptions for 34 yards and three kickoff returns. He hadn’t attempted a punt return. Among wide receivers battling to make the squad the numbers didn’t stand out.

But the Chiefs also were interested in Chesson’s special teams’ ability when they selected him, as a return man and in coverage.

“I don’t know why some people think it’s less important than offense or defense because any chance to have to impact the game, you should,” Chesson said.

The Chiefs have a superb punt-return specialist in Tyreek Hill, who joined the other starters on the sideline for the final preseason game. This gave talent like Chesson a final audition, and midway through the second quarter he took advantage.

Brett Kern’s punt sailed deep, allowing the Chiefs to set up the return to the right. Chesson ran past the gunner as he veered to the middle of the field. Justin March-Lillard threw a wipe out block. Seantavius Jones held up his man. Tanoh Kpassagnon and Marcus Kemp threw key blocks allowing Chesson to cover the final few yards.

Special-teams coach Dave Toub had to be thrilled. Not as much as Chesson, who could be a borderline call to make the team. The starting wide receivers — Hill, Chris Conely and Albert Wilson — appear set. Thomas is the fourth.

There looks to be a circle of candidates after that with Demarcus Robinson, Jones, Kemp and Chesson as the leaders. Assuming the Chiefs keep six wide receivers, some will make it and others likely are headed to the practice squad. On the depth chart, Chesson is listed on the fourth team.

But his special-teams skill could make the difference, as it did for the Chiefs on Thursday.

“Nobody is exempt,” Chesson said of the roster reduction process from 90 to 53 which must be completed by Saturday at 3 p.m. “My thing is, open mind, open heart … I’m just here to play ball.

“The decision isn’t up to me. All I can do is put my resume together and whatever happens happens.”

[O.city]

I'd keep 7 and decide between kemp and Jones: both are great special teams players

[Bowser]

Marcus Kemp >>>> Albert Wilson

Hopefully Wilson was a Dorsey guy and they now feel no obligation to keep him.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by -King-

Am I the only one who thought he looked slow on that return?
Posted via Mobile Device

He doesn't look quick but let's not forget that he's what, 6'2''?

Fast for tall guys just looks different. It's not that DAT, Hill, Hall sort of quick with churning legs. It's more like, as has been mentioned, Tamarik Vanover. See the seem, hit it hard and fly through it via strides.

I didn't think he looked slow, he just looked like a bigger guy moving.

[Mecca]

Kemp ends up on the PS, tons of teams will cut talented WR's, no one will steal him.

[Mecca]

I know everyone hates Albert Wilson but they basically refuse to cut him.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

He doesn't look quick but let's not forget that he's what, 6'2''?

Fast for tall guys just looks different. It's not that DAT, Hill, Hall sort of quick with churning legs. It's more like, as has been mentioned, Tamarik Vanover. See the seem, hit it hard and fly through it via strides.

I didn't think he looked slow, he just looked like a bigger guy moving.

On the first deep ball to Robinson I told my BIL that it looked like he was just jogging. Then they showed the sports science shut and he topped out at 20moh.

Never would have guessed it

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by Mecca

I know everyone hates Albert Wilson but they basically refuse to cut him.

And nobody exactly knows why.

I'm betting we could have as many as four or five surprise cuts Saturday. Would anyone be surprised if Wilson was one of them? We seem to be stacked at WR with kids loaded with potential not just as receivers, but as special teamers. It's a good problem to have there, really.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by Modser

And nobody exactly knows why.

I'm betting we could have as many as four or five surprise cuts Saturday. Would anyone be surprised if Wilson was one of them? We seem to be stacked at WR with kids loaded with potential not just as receivers, but as special teamers. It's a good problem to have there, really.

Probably because of his experience, he has experience starting at WR, special teams etc etc etc

[Hammock Parties]

I bet Chesson steals Conley's job. Maybe not this year, but next season, look out. He's a much smoother athlete.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Hammock Parties

I bet Chesson steals Conley's job. Maybe not this year, but next season, look out. He's a much smoother athlete.

Trades some of Conley's bulk for better burst out of his cuts.

Conley's pretty obviously a poor man's Bowe. He's a bit of a tweener in that he's not quite broad enough to be an Anquon Boldin type that just takes balls away with no separation and he's not quick enough to be a guy that actually GETS separation.

He has a lot of speed but it's long speed and not terribly functional. And his hands are good but not exceptional (again, unlike Boldin, more like Bowe).

So hell, maybe he's not a poor man's Bowe. Maybe he's a rich man's Jonathan Baldwin. He's a guy who's performance seems less than the sum of his parts.

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by Modser

Marcus Kemp >>>> Albert Wilson

Hopefully Wilson was a Dorsey guy and they now feel no obligation to keep him.

Wilson hung around because of his versatility- but now we have other guys whose talents overlap and exceed what Wilson can do.

Most every day in camp- Kemp was making plays with Mahomes, they even talked about having a natural connection. Kemp outplayed Wilson in camp and in the games.

Have we even heard Wilson's name at all?

I like the kid Bausby too. He got burned a few times but seems aggressive and made some descent plays as well. I would keep him over Gaines.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by -King-

Am I the only one who thought he looked slow on that return?
Posted via Mobile Device

Kind of. He's not Hill but nobody is. But he is big and big guys with long strides don't look fast. I will say. After he cut behind that guy that overran the coverage he did get up and across the field in short order. Then he got back into traffic and looked like he basically stopped but he was still trucking forward pretty quick.

That being said, the coverage was pretty horribad. It would have been a far more difficult run with competent coverage. Can't ask for a much better return given the coverage he was dealt but I didn't see anything there that suggests he can make something from nothing like Hill can do.

Here is DJLN saying it better than me.

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

He doesn't look quick but let's not forget that he's what, 6'2''?

Fast for tall guys just looks different. It's not that DAT, Hill, Hall sort of quick with churning legs. It's more like, as has been mentioned, Tamarik Vanover. See the seem, hit it hard and fly through it via strides.

I didn't think he looked slow, he just looked like a bigger guy moving.

[lcarus]

Wilson has seemed ok at the little things. Special teams, blocking, while occasionally making a play with the ball in his hands. I'm guessing that's why he's still on the team. He really looked promising that first year we had him and since then he has kind of faded. Then again, our offense isn't a wide receiver numbers factory is it....