Three unsung heroes on the Kansas City Chiefs offense line

Nick Allegretti

How much fun was it to watch Nick Allegretti slide into Joe Thuney’s spot on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals? Even in a losing effort, it was clear that Allegretti had an appetite for just this moment that the Chiefs would call his name again because he cozied up between Thuney and Creed Humphrey and proceeded to maul over opposing defensive tackles on long drives with the Chiefs offense.

Allegretti is another tremendous find for the Chiefs’ scouting staff as a seventh-round pick out of the University of Illinois. It’s hard for any late-round pick to even make a team as deep as the Chiefs, but Allegretti was on the team’s active roster all year in 2019  and even played in 7 games. In 2020, the Chiefs were thin along the interior and Allegretti seized the opportunity to play in every game and even start 9 of them at left guard.

Coming into this season, the Chiefs upgraded everywhere which kicked Allegretti back down the depth chart, but the emergency on Sunday with injuries to both Lucas Niang and Orlando Brown created a hole at left guard and the Chiefs liked Allegretti to fill it.

Knowing that both Remmers, Wylie, Austin Blythe, and Kyle Long are going to hit free agency this spring, Allegretti’s importance to the team will only increase as an experienced lineman who can fill in on the interior at multiple spots who remains cost-controlled. Down the road, with his road-grading ability, he’s likely going to find himself a starting spot with someone when he’s able to hit the open market himself.