Why This Undrafted Rookie Will Make Chiefs Better at TE

Mick Jagger once said, "You can’t always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, well, you might find you get what you need".

Brett Veach and Andy Reid didn’t get the tight end they wanted in last month’s draft, the only reason Mel Kiper said he didn’t give the Chiefs a coveted A grade. The board simply didn’t fall in that direction. But their efforts to recruit and sign college free agent Jake Briningstool could pay lucrative dividends for what they need at that position.

Competition brings out the best in everyone. And while Briningstool won’t unseat future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce, the rookie from Clemson will put plenty of pressure on Noah Gray, Jared Wiley and Robert Tonyan.

In 1999, the year that coach Reid left his post as Packers tight ends coach to take the reins of the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay signed an undrafted wideout named Donald Driver. And former Packers wide receiver James Jones on Monday morning’s edition of The Facility illustrated how adding a rookie like Briningstool can affect the mentality of an NFL position group.

“I'll never forget, I had a really good rookie minicamp,” Jones remembered of his first taste of the NFL in 2007. “The veterans, when I came into the locker room, Aaron Rodgers, ‘Hey man, I heard you got hands,’ and like it was out there. And I'll never forget this day. Mike McCarthy said, ‘It's Veterans Day today. The vets ain't got to practice. The dudes that are five years plus that have proven stuff in this league, ain't no practice today in training camp.’

“Donald Driver brought his butt out there to practice. The only vet. And I respected him for that because he felt that pressure. He seen me out there making plays. ‘You think I'm going to take a vet day and give this young bull some more opportunities to make more plays, and I'm a little older? No, no, no.’ And I respected him for that because like, ‘If you're going to take my spot, it's going to be hard as hell, Young Fella.’”

Driver finished his career as Green Bay’s all-time leader in receiving yards and receptions, and combined with Jones to win a Super Bowl. Don’t be surprised to see a similar dynamic develop in Kansas City.

A 6-6, 241-pound rookie, Briningstool lined up from the slot in 60 percent of Clemson’s snaps. He left as the most prolific tight end in school history and reminds many of Kelce and Dalton Kincaid, more of a threat in the passing game than a run blocker. Over his last two seasons, he posted 99 catches for 1,028 yards and 12 touchdowns.

And like Jones in 2007, Briningstool had an excellent rookie minicamp for the Chiefs. So, don’t expect Gray, Wylie or Tonyan to accept any veteran days off this summer.

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