Eric Fisher's Contract Option Picked Up by Chiefs: Latest Comments, Reaction

The Kansas City Chiefs announced Monday they had picked up the fifth-year option on offensive tackle Eric Fisher's rookie contract.   

Fisher was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft and has bounced between left and right tackle on the Chiefs offensive line. Per ProFootballTalk.com's Mike Florio, Fisher will make a salary of $11.9 million in 2017.

Fisher hasn't exactly lived up to his billing as the leader of the 2013 draft class, but the top of that particular crop of players wasn't special overall. Six of the top 11 picks were offensive linemen; Luke Joeckel and Jonathan Cooper have been even more underwhelming than Fisher to start their careers.

Kansas City evidently still believes in Fisher's talent. He's at least trending in the right direction, per Pro Football Focus' Neil Hornsby:

The investment and significant salary Fisher stands to make in 2017 is a good-faith gamble that he'll continue to progress toward his ceiling and emerge as the franchise left tackle the Chiefs thought they were getting in 2013.

Football Outsiders rated Kansas City as the No. 28 pass-protection unit last season, so Fisher and his crew up front certainly has room to step up in that area. Quarterback Alex Smith has above-average mobility and can avoid pressure with his legs if need be, but he needs a bit more help.

Blocking is of paramount importance especially with star Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles coming off a second career torn ACL.

If Charles isn't quite right, Smith and the passing game will have to pick up the slack—and Fisher will have to really earn his money under those circumstances.