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After hearing that the Kansas City Chiefs were going to sign former Baltimore Ravens NT Kelly Gregg I was pretty excited because I feel like Gregg is a good short-term option for the Chiefs at nose tackle. That said, this move didn't come without concerns.
A couple of my biggest questions were...
Why didn't Rex Ryan call him?
This was one of my biggest concerns because Gregg was among Ryan's favorite players. So if he had anything left, Rex and Co. probably would have signed him. And if Rex doesn't think he has anything left...then does he?
The good news: the Jets did indeed call. Gregg told Aaron Wilson of FOX Sports that Rex Ryan called after he was released from Baltimore but he decided to come to KC because it was close to his Oklahoma home.
"Oh yeah, I heard from the Jets, but this is the perfect opportunity," Gregg told Wilson. "It's an hour-flight from my house in Oklahoma and this is an up-and-coming team."
For once, the Jets lose out on a free agent. Actually, make that twice.
Is he going to be a mentor to rookie NT Jerrell Powe?
The other thing we wanted to know was whether Gregg is the type of guy who comes in for a year and teaches the younger guys, sort of like LB Mike Vrabel and LB Andy Studebaker. With two young nose tackles that's pretty important in KC.
The good news: I heard a Baltimore beat writer (Nestor from WNST) on 610 Sports' Saturday afternoon show with Danny Parkins and they say he's absolutely the type of guy who's going to spend the extra time with the young guys.
"I'll be working with a good rookie in Jerrell Powe and he looks like he's going to be a player," he told Wilson.
We're starting to figure out some of the Chiefs formula -- pairing veterans with young guys. Like Jon McGraw in the secondary with the rest of those guys, like Vrabel was with the linebackers, and now like Gregg.