Andrew Wylie looks like the darkhorse along the Chiefs offensive line
By Matt Conner
Andrew Wylie looks like he could be sneaking into a contributing role along the Kansas City Chiefs offensive line.
Andrew Wylie was not expected to be here at this point.
As Cameron Erving seemingly solidifies the left guard role, the backups likely to play for the Kansas City Chiefs offensive line were most expected to be former starters at the same spot, guys like Parker Ehinger and Bryan Witzmann. The Chiefs also just selected Kahlil McKenzie in the 2018 NFL Draft as a long-term project so you know he’s safe. From there, Jordan Devey has also been around as a versatile back-up who started last Week 17’s win over the Denver Broncos.
That’s a total of nine players, a nice amount that the Chiefs have typically carried each season in the NFL. But there looks to be a potential darkhorse in Andrew Wylie, an unexpected player being tasked with reps above his expected “pay grade”. He’s also earning praise from Chiefs coaches like offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.
When speaking about Laurent Duvernay-Tardif’s recent concussion, Wylie was the man who stepped into the starting right guard spot for the first day. It continued again into a second day. Bieniemy said:
"It’s time for the next man to rise to the occasion. Andrew Wylie got some snaps today, I thought he did a good job. He’s a dirty, tough kid. We just want to see the next man perform and play at a high level."
As an undrafted free agent in 2017, Wylie, a 6’6 product from Eastern Michigan, was first signed by the Baltimore Ravens immediately after the draft. From there, he spent time on the practice squads of the Colts, Chiefs and Cleveland Browns all last year. The Chiefs were the last and final stop, and the Chiefs retained him in the offseason after signing him to a reserve/futures deal. Most such deals feature fringe prospects that are among a team’s first cuts, but Wylie is showing trust from the coaches—and he seems to be offering them the same.
Next. The Chiefs have a very concerning safety situation. dark
As training camp becomes less about evaluation and more about roster preparation for the regular season, it will be interesting to see how many reps Wylie is still receiving. For now it looks as if the Chiefs are giving him significant chances to show what he can do. Such offerings can sometimes give a darkhorse candidate all he needs to surprise us all.