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The newest Kansas City Chiefs linemen comes from the team that gave us quite the heartbreak just a few months ago. Offensive guard / tackle Jeff Linkenbach inked a 1-year, $900,000 deal with the KC Chiefs after spending four seasons in Indianapolis with the Colts.
Made available to the media on Thursday, Linkenbach said that he wasn't in Kansas City to replace anyone necessarily. He was there to compete. He said he has experience at both tackle and guard in his career, both needs for the Chiefs right now.
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"Honestly I've played so much everywhere I feel like wherever I get the most reps during the week I feel more comfortable during that week," Linkenbach told the KC media on Thursday. "I've played all four [positions] and I feel comfortable pretty much everywhere. In college, I was a tackle but the last couple of years I've played more guard. I have more long-term experience playing tackle but more recent experience at guard. I feel comfortable at both."
The Chiefs lost three offensive linemen in free agency so there are a few spots available: the swing tackle role which was filled by Donald Stephenson last year, starting guard and reserve guard. Geoff Schwartz was brought in last year for basically the same role and ended up starting by the end of the season. Maybe it won't work out quite as well as Schwartz did but I think that would be the best-case scenario.
Schwartz, as you know, left the Chiefs for a 4-year deal with the Giants. Linkenbach, a free agent after four years with the Colts, said there's always interest in free agency for someone like him who can fulfill multiple roles. The Chiefs first reached out to him at the start of the legal tampering period there days before free agency.
The Chiefs have played the Colts three times in the last two seasons, including last January's playoff game in Indianapolis. Asked what he remembers about playing the Chiefs, he talked about the fans.
"The fans are great and they're tremendous," Linkenbach said. "Very passionate about the Chiefs. At hte playoff game in Indy there were plenty of Chiefs fans in the crowd. The year before in 2012, the Colts played in Kansas City the last game of the regular season. They weren't doing too well but the fans still came out and it was one of the louder stadiums we played in that year."