Chiefs gift Swiss Army Knife Louis Rees-Zammit to Jaguars on a silver platter

The Jacksonville Jaguars have put together their 53-man roster and their practice squad for the 2024 NFL season. However, they'll continue to make moves the rest of the year. One of the first ones they made was signing International Pathway Player Louis Rees-Zammit to the practice squad after the Kansas City Chiefs waived him.

Hours after the Jags announced their practice squad, they signed Rees-Zammit. Tom Hamilton of ESPN first reported the move. As of this writing, the team has yet to announce the signing but it may be a matter of time before they do.

A Wales native, Rees-Zammit signed with the Chiefs after a dazzling performance in the NFL's IPP scouting combine. He spent the offseason with them and suited up for all three preseason games. The 22-year-old showcased versatility, lining up at running back, catching a pass, and logging 22 snaps on special teams. That kind of versatility could help him work his way up into the roster.

General manager Trent Baalke met with the local media after the cutdown deadline and said that having a player as versatile as safety Darnell Savage gives the team's brass ample flexibility when building their roster.

"The more guys can do, the more flexible your roster is, the more things you can do numbers-wise and where you count guys and stuff like that, so it does give you flexibility. You're always looking for guys that can O-Line, D-Line, multiple positions, guys, linebackers that can play two positions on special teams. The more they can do, the better off it is for us in terms of the roster building."

Again, Baalke was responding to a question about Savage but it certainly applies to Rees-Zammit: The more ways you can contribute, the higher your chances of getting playing time on game day will be. That's especially true for players on the bottom half of the roster and special teams.

Because Rees-Zammit came from the IPP, he doesn't count toward the 16 players teams can carry on special teams. However, Kansas City already had such player in Chukwuebuka Godrick.

Louis Rees-Zammit gives the Jaguars an option on special teams

Now, it's not a given that Louis Rees-Zammit will suit up for the Jaguars in 2024. However, he gives them ample options in case they suffer injuries throughout the season. Moreover, it's further proof that the team's brass is putting an emphasis on special teams.

Leaving aside rookie Cam Little, who's slated to be the kicker next season, the Jaguars have made several investments in their return game and return coverage units. Earlier in 2024, the signed return specialist Devin Duvernay, and later drafted kick return Keilan Robinson. On top of that, they gave safety Daniel Thomas, who's their designated gunner, a two-year deal.

Similarly, the Jaguars devoted two roster spots to Caleb Johnson and Tim Jones. Although they don't get much playing time on defense and offense, respectively, they were a mainstay of the Jacksonville special teams last year. By adding players like safety Matthew Jackson and Louis Rees-Zammit to their practice squad after cutdown day, they're showing they want their special teams unit to be one of the best in the NFL.

The Jaguars made several upgrades to their offense and defense. Along the way, they made sure their special teams unit is also in a position to make a strong impact next season.

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