Louis Rees-Zammit's latest preseason performance for the Kansas City Chiefs saw his involvement limited, with Carson Steele again catching the eye of fans as he fights for a place on the roster.
Rees-Zammit signed a three-year contract with the Chiefs back in April, officially marking his transition from rugby union to the NFL. The deal with the Super Bowl champions includes guaranteed money and a signing bonus as part of the NFL's International Player Pathway Programme.
However, his first two preseason games have highlighted the steep learning curve involved in switching sports. After a lacklustre debut against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Rees-Zammit took to the field against the Detroit Lions on Saturday.
The Chiefs utilized Rees-Zammit in various roles once again. He returned the opening kickoff 27 yards, served as a gunner on the punt team and made a solid kickoff, demonstrating his primary value on special teams.
Despite Rees-Zammit's decent pass protection late in the 24-23 loss to the Lions, some fans were more taken with undrafted free agent Steele. The UCLA fullback only managed eight yards from three carries but caught the eye with his power and made some big blocks out of the backfield.
In a recent match against the Jaguars, Steele made an impression by converting four carries into 29 yards and a touchdown, potentially challenging Louis Rees-Zammit for a spot on the roster. A Chiefs fan on social media appeared to favour Steele over the Welshman, commenting: "Seems like he is turning into the guy we hoped Rees-Zammit would be."
Rees-Zammit had to skip Wednesday's practice due to a back injury, but it wasn't deemed serious, and the Chiefs' social media team still shone a spotlight on the 23-year-old as he fights to secure a place on Kansas City's 53-man roster for the upcoming 2024 NFL season.
Rees-Zammit has been getting more involved in kickoff routines during practice, indicating his role could expand as the preseason progresses. Despite competition from Steele and others for a coveted roster spot while the Chiefs aim for a third consecutive Super Bowl win, Rees-Zammit has inked a three-year contract with the AFC West team.
The duration of Rees-Zammit's contract raised some eyebrows, yet it underscores the confidence that head coach Andy Reid and the franchise have in the ex-rugby sensation.
After Rees-Zammit's first game against the Jaguars, Coach Reid expressed his enthusiasm: "Listen, it was exciting for him to have a chance to get in there and play," adding, "It's faster than what he has seen in practice, so from an experience standpoint it was great for him. That was a positive and then just build on it."
The Chiefs are set to wrap up their preseason schedule against the Chicago Bears on Thursday, August 22, after which Reid will finalise his roster decision.