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One word to describe Kansas City Chiefs GM Brett Veach in free agency: patient.
Four days into the yearly frenzy, KC has only made one big-name addition and you could certainly argue that they could have gone bigger at that position — although I felt it was a smart signing.
As the hours roll by, more and more teams are bulking but don’t expect Veach or Andy Reid to feel pressured. They’ve been in this position before and they know that at the end of the day, they’re still the team to beat until proven otherwise.
On March 16, there was some minor activity on the offensive line to report, as one reserve returned and another skipped town.
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Wylie Re-Signs, Blythe Gets Promotion
The bad news came first, as NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that “former Chief’s [backup] center Austin Blythe is signing with the Seattle Seahawks.”
Depth is always important on the offensive line but after the way Creed Humphrey performed his rookie campaign, Blythe was an expected loss. The center joined KC to take on the starting role in 2021 and was outperformed by the Oklahoma product.
In the end, he only appeared in four games during his lone season after starting 47 in Los Angeles from 2018-20.
On the flip side, Veach acted quickly in retaining an important cog after Blythe took the deal in Seattle. PFF NFL reporter Ari Meirov had it first: “Source: #Chiefs are re-signing G/T Andrew Wylie to a 1-year deal that includes $2.5M fully guaranteed. Wylie has started 42 games in four years for Kansas City – making starts at RG, LG, and RT.”
Wylie has been the ultimate versatile spot-starter for Coach Reid and while Blythe wasn’t the biggest loss, this is an underrated re-signing.
The hope is that you do not have to call upon the four-year veteran as much as you did in 2021 but if you need him, he’s there. That positional flexibility also allows you to account for multiple areas of need with one roster spot.
Wylie’s numbers don’t stand out — especially in pass protection with 38 pressures allowed via Pro Football Focus — but Patrick Mahomes will be happy to have him back for another season, if for the piggyback rides alone.
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More to Come on OL?
The right tackle position is still a weak spot on the Chiefs’ offensive line, especially when you consider some of the pass rushers that just joined the division.
It’s unclear whether Veach plans to address this area in free agency or the draft, although he has noted that both the offensive and defensive trenches are always at the forefront of how they build. In 2021, the OL took priority while in 2022, it feels like the DL is getting more of that treatment.
Frank Clark did agree to restructure his contract and free up some cap space but there is still more work to be done on that side of the ball. Having said that, it’s not easy to sit back and trust Lucas Niang coming off a torn patellar tendon in his knee.
Even before his season-ending injury, the young right tackle allowed 25 QB pressures in 360 snaps. That “pass-blocking efficiency” percentage was practically on par with Wylie and must improve going forward.
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