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Free agent offensive tackle Andre Dillard signed with the Green Bay Packers on April 18, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
This is relevant to the Kansas City Chiefs because, after reporting the signing, Fowler also reported that the Chiefs brought Dillard in for a free agent visit recently.
No one knows if the two-time defending Super Bowl champions offered Dillard, 28, a contract or if the veteran left Arrowhead with no deal on the table. The terms of Dillard’s deal with Green Bay are also still unknown.
Nevertheless, it marks yet another missed opportunity for the Chiefs to address their need for a starting left tackle via free agency.
Andre Dillard Has Not Lived Up to the Expectations of a First-Round Pick
Dillard was a first-round pick — 22nd overall — of the Eagles in 2019 out of Washington State.
Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 315 pounds, Dillard was supposed to be the future starting left tackle of the Eagles once the team parted ways with six-time All-Pro Jason Peters. But that never transpired.
During the 2019 and 2020 seasons — when Dillard and Peters were on the roster together — Peters missed a total of 11 regular season games. But Dillard wasn’t able to show enough during his early opportunities in the NFL to prove he was the team’s future starter. That’s why in 2022 — Dillard’s final season in Philly — Dillard registered just 37 snaps during the regular season and 20 during the team’s Super Bowl run that postseason, according to PFF.
In his three seasons with the Eagles, Dillard surrendered 45 total quarterback pressures (35 hurries, 5 sacks, 5 hits) on 714 offensive snaps played
During the 2023 offseason, the Tennessee Titans signed Dillard to a three-year, $29 million deal, which included a $5.9 million signing bonus and $13 million guaranteed, per Spotrac.
Dillard’s only season in Tennessee did not go well. In 16 games played during the 2023 season — four of which he started — Dillard surrendered 41 total QB pressures (20 hurries, 12 sacks, 9 hits) and had 5 penalties called against him.
His poor play last season caused Dillard to be released by the Titans on March 13.
Chiefs Can Address Offensive Tackle During Draft
As it currently stands, second-year offensive tackle Wanya Morris is projected to be Kansas City’s starting left tackle for the 2024 season. While Morris could be a serviceable option to protect quarterback Patrick Mahomes‘s blindside, the team instead might want to take advantage of the incoming OT draft class and upgrade at that position, which will in turn give Morris more time to develop.
Though it is not a very deep OT class, the class is top-heavy. So, there’s a chance that the Chiefs could get a franchise left tackle with the last pick in the first round this year.
However, if the team isn’t able to address left tackle during the draft, look for the Chiefs to add a veteran from the free agency pool once the draft concludes.
Some options still available among the free agents include Donovan Smith — who played for Kansas City last season — David Bakhtiari, and Duane Brown.
The 2024 NFL Draft takes place from April 25 to April 27 in Detroit, Michigan. It will be available to watch on ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network.
The Chiefs have seven picks in this year’s draft:
- Round 1: Pick 32
- Round 2: Pick 64
- Round 3: Pick 95
- Round 4: Pick 131
- Round 5: Pick 159 (from DAL)
- Round 5: Pick 173 (compensatory)
- Round 7: Pick 227 (from TEN)
