The Kansas City Chiefs announced Saturday that they have signed offensive tackle Eric Winston.
Shoring up a longtime trouble spot in Kansas City, Winston will slot in as Barry Richardson’s replacement at right tackle. Richardson, a free agent, has been a turnstile in pass protection over the past two seasons. Ryan O’Callaghan was Kansas City’s starting right tackle before that, and he wasn’t any good either.
Winston is 28 years old, a terrific athlete for his size, and he hasn’t missed a start since the 2006 season. While transitioning away from Houston’s zone blocking to the Chiefs’ power-based scheme is a slight concern, there’s little doubt that Winston will be a huge upgrade in Kansas City.
The Chiefs are off to a pretty good start during the 2012 free agency period. In Peyton Hillis, Kevin Boss, and Winston, they’ve landed three young, proven, starting-caliber players.
They’ve also signed three members of the PFT Hot 100.