Chiefs LT Eric Fisher: Evolutional and Breakthrough

Chiefs LT Eric Fisher: Evolutional and Breakthrough – I’m excited to see LT Eric Fisher return this season, and that’s a first. The Kansas City Chiefs have a first pick in the first round of the 2013 draft playing at left tackle in the person of Eric Fisher… and that’s now a good thing. The implication of course, is that it wasn’t always a good thing, and that would be true, as far as I can tell. The progress that Fisher has made as been a slow rolling upward climb culminating in a Pro Bowl season in 2018. It would also be true that 2018 could be seen as a breakthrough year for Mr. Fisher.

The most important aspect of considering Eric Fisher’s impact is that he protects the blind side of the most important player at the most important position in all of major league sports right now. Plus, that player, is considered to be the best at his position: a young and generational talent. So, looking into Eric Fisher is no idle exercise.

Eric Fisher grew up in Rochester, Michigan which is about 30 miles due north from Detroit, on the joint of the thumb of the mitt (which Michigan is often referred to). When Fisher came out of Stoney Creek High School he was considered a 2-star recruit by Rival.com and ended up playing his college ball at Central MIchigan University (CMU) mostly because he was only 225 lbs. coming out of High School… but that was just the beginning of his growth: he is now 6-foot-7 and weighs 315. While he starred at CMU, he didn’t make his full draft impact until the Senior Bowl.

I would not be lying to say that Eric Fisher was drafted #1 overall because of his strong Senior Bowl week. Although it was General Manager John Dorsey’s final call to draft Fisher first overall, Dorsey was not the only one who held him in high regards at that time:

Once Fisher was drafted he played right tackle for the Chiefs in 2013, his rookie season, while LT Branden Albert played his last season with the Chiefs. Albert was part of a first round tag team when the Chiefs drafted DT Glenn Dorsey 5th overall and then grabbed Albert at #15 in the 2008 NFL draft.

Note: Detroit traded its 1st and 3rd round selections (numbers: 15 and 76) to Kansas City for their 2nd first-round selection, 1st third-round selection, plus first fifth-round selection (numbers: 17, 66, and 136) in the 2008 draft. K.C. appeared to get the better of the deal as Albert went to the Pro Bowl twice and none of the other draft picks excelled.

Although Eric Fisher started out his pro career at right tackle he then flipped to left tackle and has been there ever since… so, how did he get from there to here? Fisher is now a Pro Bowl player who protects Patrick Mahomes: the number one player that anyone in the right mind would want to start an NFL franchise with, if they were to be handed the keys to that task today.

The answer to that one is: Eric Fisher has been a long and evolutional prospect who has taken time to develop into the top notch player he is today. Hmm, you doubt he’s top notch? In a piece by Phillip Jaques for Pro Football Focus called, “Kansas City Chiefs Left Tackle Eric Fisher is Finally Hitting His Stride in the NFL” in which he states,

“… there is mounting evidence that at the midway point of last season, Fisher’s game turned a corner. From Week 11 to the Super Bowl, he was the NFL’s highest-graded offensive tackle, and if he can ride that wave of success into the upcoming season, he has a chance to solidify the Chiefs’ offensive line for years to come.

If Fisher can keep up the pace he set in the last half of 2018, then the Chiefs should be well on their way towards establishing a preeminent offensive line and helping the offense establish itself as one of the best ever. To do that… the Chiefs would have to have two top level tackles. Since Mitchell Schwartz is manning the right side now, if Fisher can become as consistently excellent as Schwartz has been over the past three seasons, the Chiefs could be well on their way towards achieving those objectives. Schwartz has been the most consistent and dominant right tackle in the NFL for years now and his influence on Fisher appears to be wearing off. In a good way.

While 2018 was Eric Fisher’s first Pro Bowl, by achieving that postseason honor, he earned himself a cool half mil in doing so:

Most fans probably like to think that the money doesn’t mean as much to the players who make millions per year, but kick in an honor to go along with that kind of salary boost, and you’ve got some more instant motivation.

In 2019, the Kansas City Chiefs have a special opportunity to be special. All the pieces are in place on offense. The defense has had a new transmission installed this offseason and the team appears ready to rock-n-roll all the way to SB LIV. Eric Fisher appears to be a big part of those plans.

Eric Fisher has been an above average run blocker for several years now but last season he took his pass protection up a notch. He only allowed two sacks for the entire 2018 season. Now, many will attribute that kind of production to Patrick Mahomes and his ability to escape pressure. However, the Chiefs finished 5th best in the league in sacks allowed with only 26 which averages out to 5.2 per offensive lineman. By Fisher only allowing 2 sacks, he was the best on one of the OLs vs. the pass rush last year in the entire NFL. FYI, Mitchell Schwartz had 2.5 sacks allowed in 2018 so obviously, those QB hits mostly all came from between the tackles… 21.5 anyway.

While the Chiefs move to stabilize the interior of their offensive line, beginning in just a little over two weeks from now at training camp, one position they won’t be worrying about is Left Tackle, where Eric Fisher holds down the fort.

Who are you excited to see return in 2019? Besides Patrick Mahomes of course!

Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne

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