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The football analytics website reminded fans
about some promising 2018 UDFAs this week.
By Pete Sweeney
Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images
Pro Football Focus recently posted an article
on “The promising undrafted free agents of 2018
that shouldn’t be overlooked,” and Kansas
City Chiefs second-year linebacker Ben
Niemann appeared
on its list.
Linebacker Ben Niemann forced his way into the Chiefs’
lineup last season after going undrafted out of Iowa. He generated a 59.3 overall
grade on only 71 defensive snaps, but he was a major contributor on special teams, where he
played 307 snaps and earned an 86.2 special teams grade.
The second-year pro has
always been a sure tackler. In his final season with the Hawkeyes, he missed only
four tackles on 76 attempts to go along with his 76.3 overall grade. He
will continue to play a significant role on special teams while he tries to
break his way into an underwhelming linebacking corps.
Niemann made the Chiefs roster last year at the 53-man deadline
after a great showing in the preseason, beating out the likes of veteran
Frank Zombo and Ukeme Eligwe.
“You just couldn’t ignore the tape—I mean, that was it,” Chiefs
GM Brett Veach said of the 23-year-old Niemann at the time. “Actually, we had
two teams that called us about Ben Niemann, and we knew that he wasn’t going to
get through the waiver-wire claim, and we knew that he was not going to make it
to the practice squad.”
With the Chiefs releasing Zombo, they had to have been
comfortable with Niemann’s special teams ability, and it showed. Only five Chiefs tallied more
snaps on specials teams than Niemann, a four-phase teams player, in 2018.
Much of his limited playing time on defense
came Week 10 against the Arizona Cardinals, his only start (29 snaps) of
the season with fellow Iowa product Anthony Hitchens out with a rib
injury. Niemann had six tackles (five solo) in the game.
Last year, the Chiefs kept six defensive lineman and nine
linebackers at the 53-man roster deadline. Those totals should be flipped
this season with the Chiefs’ switch to the 4-3 defense, which will make it
tougher for Niemann to make the club. Niemann gained experience in the 4-3 in
college, playing both outside linebacker positions, as well as middle
linebacker when called upon.
Right now, Hitchens, Damien Wilson, Darron
Lee and Dorian O’Daniel are probably safe bets to make the team.
Based upon his special teams play, tackling ability and experience at multiple
linebacker positions, Niemann “shouldn’t be overlooked,” as PFF says, when it
comes to those final two presumed linebacker spots on the Chiefs.
