Following the 2023 draft, German football players Kilian Zierer and Lorenz Metz were signed by the Houston Texans and Chicago Bears, respectively.

The NFL dream takes off! Kilian Zierer and Lorenz Metz got their contract with an NFL team. Zierer will perform his role as offensive tackle in the future with the Houston Texans. Metz also plays in the O-Line and strengthens it with the Chicago Bears. Both signed their contracts after the draft as undrafted free agents.

While the Bears officially announced Metz, so far Zierer’s agent posted his protege’s commitment to the Texans.

College soccer: Zierer from soccer goalie to soccer O-lineman

The two Bavaria natives started playing football in this country and now get to compete at the highest level. Zierer started the soccer career with the Allgäu Comets, was previously a forward or goalkeeper in soccer. With his current weight of just under 141 kilograms and a height of 2.04 meters, he brings the mass for the O-Line.

When he decided to make the move to the U.S., he landed on the Auburn Tigers college football team. 2020 was officially his first season, but he missed it due to injury. In 2021, he played backup in phases. In 2022, Zierer was allowed to play every single game for Auburn as a left tackle and recommended himself for more.

NFL Draft: “Cat” Metz from Defense to Offense

Lorenz Metz took a similar path. The Kirchdorf Wildcats were the first football team of the Neuöttinger. At 2.06 meters and 150 kilograms, Metz is also predestined for the offensive line in football, even though he actually played table tennis before.

With that stature, he certainly stood out there. In 2018, it was off to the USA for Metz, but there he started as a defensive tackle. But promptly he was retrained as an OT.

He also stayed true to the Cats in the team name. From the Wildcats in Germany it went to the Cincinnati Bearcats in the USA. Last season, despite injuries in the offseason, 51 started the final five games at right guard.

NFL: Zierer’s competition with the Houston Texans

Even though the resume wasn’t enough to get drafted, the two will get to prove themselves in the NFL and compete for a spot on the 53-man roster.

With the Texans, the 23-year-old Zierer will likely try to grow into the backup role of Right or Left Tackle, his skills and size speak to that as much as his hustle. But the Texans are well-positioned at LT. Laremy Tunsil is among the best players at that position, and behind him he would have to pass Austin Deculus and Tyler Beach.

At the RT position, his chances of prevailing are higher, but he faces a challenge there as well. The 26-year-old Tytus Howard is being considered a starter and was a first-round pick of the team in 2019. His backup is Charlie Heck, who was selected by Houston in the fourth round of the draft in 2020. His father, Andy Heck, is the Kansas City Chiefs’ O-line coach.

Small advantage: Howard measures 6-foot-9, Heck 6-foot-3. So on paper, the Munich native would be “up to” the task. But it won’t be easy. Typical NFL. If one of them gets injured, the German has to be convincing.

NFL: Metz’s opportunity with the Chicago Bears

Metz may be bigger and bulkier than Zierer, but at 25 he’s also two years older. He gets to prove himself with the Chicago Bears. Unlike Zierer, he’s not considered as variable at the position, Metz is also less of a tackle than a guard. And he prefers to do that on the left side. That’s where his Bears competition would be, Teven Jenkins and Ja’Tyre Carter.

With the Bears signing Nate Davis at right guard, Jenkins is now expected to be the left guard – possibly an advantage for Metz that the starter will have to retool compared to the preseason. But Jenkins is also only 25 years old and was selected by the Bears in the second round of the 2021 draft. At 6-foot-8, though, he’s eight inches shorter than the Metz machine.

The 24-year-old Carter came to the Bears as a seventh-round pick in 2022 and is definitely beatable. Last season, he was used in phases in three games and didn’t completely convince. A chance for Metz.

Equanimeous St. Brown is another German with the Bears, so that could help Metz get started. This makes the Bears the only NFL team with two German players.