Kansas City Chiefs DT Chris Jones was back in the building on Tuesday after being away and training on his own during the course of OTAs.
At 27 years old, Jones is now one of the elder statesmen of the defensive line group in Kansas City. Young players will be looking toward him for advice and guidance, including Chiefs rookie DE George Karlaftis.
Asked about his first practice working alongside Jones, Karlaftis had high praise for the veteran pass-rusher, echoing what defensive coordinator Joe Cullen said about Jones just a few weeks ago.
“Chris (Jones) is absolutely one of the best players in the league, and he is just a presence on the field and off the field too,” Karlaftis told reporters at mandatory minicamp. “He has this aura about him if you will.”
That aura could be seen during practice on Tuesday, as Jones danced during warmups. He’s lighthearted and fun, but also intense and passionate at the right moments as well.
Right now, Karlaftis is just trying to soak up everything he can from Jones. He knows that playing beside him during the season is going to open up opportunities for him to affect opposing quarterbacks. Learning from him now will be key to capitalizing on those opportunities.
“I’m just trying to learn from him,” Karlaftis continued. “Playing next to him is just so great because he does so many great things on the field, and you can work off of him. It’s been really good.”
