Jake Briningstool and Jared Casey are trying to make their mark.
The Kansas City Chiefs have a pair of new tight ends working to provide a strong impression at rookie minicamp: Jake Briningstool, who played at Clemson, and Jared Casey, who many fans will remember from his time playing just down the road in Lawrence for the Kansas Jayhawks.
While both players are competing for the same snaps and position on the roster, the Chiefs formally signed Brinningstool to a free-agent contract, while Casey is competing in a minicamp tryout.
Jake Briningstool
Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images
Aside from actually being signed to the team, another reason to think Briningstool may have the inside track to make the team is that he received a call from head coach Andy Reid personally recruiting him to Kansas City.
“Talking to coach Reid on the phone,” explained Briningstool, “I think he laid out a great plan for me, kind of just the situation, being able to come in here and learn from a great tight end room, and just be able to take full advantage of that opportunity.”
Briningstool added that Kansas City’s offense fits his skill set well. He also noted that the Chiefs were the only team where the head coach reached out to him personally.
“That was pretty unique to here, which kind of really stood out to me, just showing how much they valued me, how much they cared,” said Briningstool.
Having a chance to learn from a future Pro Football Hall of Famer in Travis Kelce doesn’t hurt either.
“It’s very appealing to somebody that plays tight end, and being able to come in here and learn from him.”
Aside from the Chiefs, Briningstool said three other teams were interested in signing him, but he chose Kansas City because of their championship culture.
“Just being able to come in here and compete with guys who have done it at the highest level and also been very successful,” he said. “A team that competes for championships.”
Briningstool said that he’s willing to do whatever the coaching staff asks of him to help this team win.
“I’m a very willing blocker,” said Briningstool. “I’m gonna be able to put my face in the fan, be able to make an impact on the game however I can, whatever they need me to do.”
The greatest adjustment so far has been huddling up between plays.
“I think it’s just different, because everything at Clemson we did through signals,” he said. “So it’s being able to kind of slow down, listen to what the quarterback is saying, be in that huddle, and then, as soon as you get to play call, it’s time to go execute and do my job.”
Jared Casey
Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Plainville, Kansas, native actually played four games in Arrowhead Stadium last season due to the Jayhawks’ home stadium being under construction for renovations.
“Just being able to go out and wear a Chiefs jersey and Chiefs helmet is kind of just a dream come true,” said Casey.
Casey made an impressive catch during Saturday practice that caught the eyes of reporters, who asked him about the play.
“I just kind of came open down the sideline, and the quarterback put it in a good position — and I just made him right and got down the field.”
Casey said the best part about making the play was that it came during a time when guys were tired, and the catch raised the energy of the offense. Still, while Casey is giving it everything he has, he knows he’s facing a bit of an uphill climb making this roster.
“This is a surreal experience, and there are a lot of guys here competing for spots on the team, and same as I am,” he explained. “So, you know, you kind of got to have that in the back of your mind, like what, what is it after football.
“Football will come to an end eventually, one day, and I’ve thought about what I want to do, but hopefully this sticks for a while.”
At 6 feet, Casey is short for a tight end in college, let alone the NFL, but he said that he’s used to people underestimating him and having to go out there and fight to prove them wrong.
When you also consider that the year he signed with Kansas in 2020, they went 0-9 and failed to win a single game. Casey said that he and his teammates challenged themselves to be the ones to turn the program around, and they did, going 9-4 in 2023 en route to beating UNLV to win the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.
“It’s an uphill climb, like you said, not only football in life, things are going to get thrown at you, and you just got to make your way around them and just keep going every day.”