It was not long ago that the offensive line was the Kansas City Chiefs‘ weakest unit. The lack of blocking was apparent against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV, where Andrew Wylie started at left guard.
The former Eastern Michigan Eagle took a long road to the Super Bowl, starting as an undrafted free agent with the Indianapolis Colts in 2017. Wylie bounced between the Colts, Los Angeles Chargers, and Cleveland Browns in 2017 as a practice squad player. On Dec. 29, 2017, the Chiefs signed him to their practice squad then promoted him on Jan. 8, 2018. Wylie has been a Chief since.
Wylie went on to win the 2018 Mack Lee Hill Award, recognizing the Chiefs’ rookie of the year. Several Chiefs greats won the award, including Will Shields, Tony Gonzalez, and Justin Houston. That is not terrible company by any means.
A look at the upcoming free agency of Andrew Wylie and what it means for the Chiefs.
Yet, the 27-year-old is currently a free agent. He returned in 2021 on a one-year, $920,000 deal, following a two-year, $1,050,000 deal. While the average or backup offensive lineman market is not very lucrative, one wonders if Wylie is closely watched by teams around the NFL. Wylie has been an underappreciated member of Kansas City’s offensive line depth for years. His career as a consistent player mirrors core Chiefs, especially quarterback Patrick Mahomes. That continuity and consistency are important for the five players protecting a franchise quarterback.
The team’s starting unit ended 2021 as the league’s fifth-best, according to PFF. While Wylie is not a member of the starting unit, he filled in for right tackle Lucas Niang down the stretch. He did his job and flexed from his normal guard spot to a starting right tackle, facing some of the NFL’s top edge rushers.
But, free agency is all about what a player can do, not what they have done. Wylie has shown fans and his peers what he can do. But, has it earned him more years in Kansas City?
Why bring him back?
All in all, it comes down to Wylie’s versatility.
Thankfully, guards Joe Thuney and Trey Smith did not go down with an injury at all in 2021. Guard is Wylie’s natural position and is where he started in Super Bowl LV. But, when the rubber met the road in 2021, Wylie was the choice to replace Niang at right tackle. His versatility is key, similar to Nick Allegretti. That is what Kansas City needs in their backups: players who can fill in several roles for little money.
Wylie is not terrible by any means, but he is not great either. His arm length and ability to set the pocket were exposed this season. But, he started nine games and contributed to a unit that only allowed 28 sacks in a season. Wylie is not the ideal starting option but is a great player to have in a pinch. He excels at guard but can be average on the edge.
Also, Wylie should be available for little commitment. He is coming off a single-year, league-minimum deal, so a new deal should not be crazy. Wylie might pursue a multi-year deal at this point of his career, something the Chiefs have not given Wylie.
Andrew Wylie vs Chris Jones pic.twitter.com/EbxGbaY7Gc
— Chiefs Core (@ChiefsCore) August 5, 2021
Why let him leave?
At the end of the day, Wylie is a natural guard. The Chiefs have both guard spots locked up for the foreseeable future with Joe Thuney and Trey Smith. That limits not only limits Wylie’s playing availability but also his necessity in Kansas City. The Chiefs will not commit too much capital to a depth player, especially with many important free-agent decisions looming.
With Kyle Long, Austin Blythe, and Mike Remmers all notable free agents, Wylie might be an odd man out. If Remmers or Long come back, they backup the offensive tackles while Nick Allegretti holds down the inside. If other moves are made, Wylie wouldn’t have room on the team.
Recommendation
It was not long ago that the offensive line lost the Chiefs a Super Bowl. The team’s lack of positional depth was exposed at the most inopportune moment. Wylie was called upon at that moment and had a respectable performance.
Wylie proved his super-sub profile this season, filling in when injuries hit Kansas City. All in all, he played 49% of the team’s 2021 offensive snaps. That consistency and availability are key for any backup and Wylie has proved time and time again he is ready to go.
Wylie is rarely injured, appearing on the injury report just once in two seasons. The best ability is availability, and Wylie has that in spades. If he is willing to take the league minimum salary, there is little reason he shouldn’t return. However the deal is structured, Wylie should remain a Chief.
Prediction
Wylie may re-sign with Kansas City later rather than sooner. The Chiefs wait to re-sign Wylie, but he returns on a two-year, league-minimum deal.