Chris Jones Says Rookie Will Be Great Asset for D-Line

Chris Jones just turned 31, so no one needs to tell him that he needs to improve every year.

“Not at all,” he said Wednesday after the team’s second camp practice. “Listen, these guys are getting bigger, stronger and faster, physically. I stay in really good shape throughout the whole season. These guys in college are built different now.”

Case in point, new teammate Omarr Norman-Lott. The Chiefs’ second-round selection in April’s draft, Norman-Lott, is green but talented – and looks great getting off the bus.

“You got a guy like Omarr at 315, who can run like a 4.7-4.8,” Jones said, referring to the rookie’s weight and speed in the 40-yard dash. “And that's just where the game is at right now for me. I just focus on what I can control, stay in shape and try to be the best me every day.”

Part of being the best him, something that’s helped him earn six Pro Bowl selections, is bringing out the best in younger teammates, especially 23-year-old Norman-Lott.

“He's young, he's young,” Jones said, “but he has a lot of raw talent. He's going to be a great asset for the D-line. He can rush the passer quick out of the stance, and he’s got to work on his technique and fundamentals but I think he's going to be a great asset for us this upcoming season.”

Norman-Lott didn’t get a ton of college reps, and some draft analysts thought the Chiefs reached by drafting him so early at 63rd overall, primarily because he totaled just 13½ sacks in 44 college games.

Recruited to Arizona State by former Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards, Norman-Lott spent 2020-22 with the Sun Devils and transferred to Tennessee after Edwards was fired. Now that he’s with Jones, Mike Pennel and Jerry Tillery in Kansas City, Norman-Lott will know not to take anything for granted.

“You never know how many more of these training camps you got,” Jones said Wednesday. “As players, naturally, we want this to last forever, but physically, the body takes a toll.

“And over time, you get to see that the younger guys are faster, you’re a little slower, and you don't move the same. So, you definitely got to cherish these moments, cherish these individuals that you get to battle with every day, and enjoy the process.”

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