Getty Head coach Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers have been predicted to add a two-time Super Bowl champion this offseason.
The Pittsburgh Steelers spent more than $42 million on offensive linemen in free agency last offseason. While they might not reach that dollar figure again, CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin expects the Steelers to at least address the unit in some capacity once again in the 2023 free agency class.
On February 23, Benjamin predicted the Steelers to sign Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Andrew Wylie.
“The Steelers could use fresh bodies on both sides of the ball, especially with internal free agents at LB and CB, but priority No. 1 should be restoring the trenches for QB Kenny Pickett,” Benjamin wrote. “While Wylie, 28, is nowhere near the physical talent of fellow Chiefs tackle Orlando Brown Jr., he’s fresh off a sterling Super Bowl run and racked up 59 starts for K.C.’s emergent dynasty.”
In five seasons with the Chiefs, Wylie made 71 appearances, including 59 starts. He started all 17 regular season games and three playoff contests at right tackle for Kansas City this past season, helping the team win its second Super Bowl in a four-year span.
Wylie’s Journey to Become an NFL Starter
Wylie was an undrafted free agent following the 2017 season. He initially began his career with the Indianapolis Colts, signing with the team in May.
He started 2017 on the Colts’ practice squad, but Indianapolis released him before the end of September. Wylie spent the rest of the season bouncing around the league, spending time on the practice squads of the Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers and Chiefs.
Wylie found a home with the Chiefs at the end of 2017 and signed a reserve/futures contract. By the following season, he was a consistent contributor along the Kansas City offensive line, as he started 10 games in 2018.
In his first three seasons with the Chiefs, Wylie started 24 contests at right guard and 11 at left guard. He was inactive for the 2019 postseason run when Kansas City won its first Super Bowl in 50 years. But Wylie started all three playoff games following the 2020 season, including the Super Bowl loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Chiefs moved Wylie to right tackle for the 2021 season, where he started seven games that year. He made a career-high 20 starts at right tackle during the 2022 season.
Including the postseason, Wylie has made 26 consecutive starts dating back to December 2021.
How Wylie Potentially Fits With the Steelers
As Benjamin noted, the most-coveted Chiefs offensive tackle this offseason will be Brown. But that doesn’t mean Wylie can’t be a solid free agency addition.
His ability to play both tackle and guard will be attractive to a team such as the Steelers, who improved along the offensive line in 2022 but will be looking for quality depth this offseason.
Wylie posted below average player grades at Pro Football Focus during 2022, but his grades were comparable to Steelers current starting tackles Dan Moore and Chukwuma Okorafor.
Maybe most importantly, Wylie can be added for an affordable price. Spotrac projected his market value to be about $14.1 million on a three-year contract.
The Steelers could sign Wylie for offensive line depth without inhibiting their ability to address their other major needs, such as inside linebacker or cornerback, in free agency.
Signing Wylie instead of a high-profile linemen would also leave open the possibility for the Steelers to draft an offensive linemen in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
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