It was only a year ago at this time that the Kansas City Chiefs front office was planning an all-out blitz on the free-agent market (and the NFL Draft a bit later) in an attempt to radically remake the offensive line from left to right, front to back. While a couple of players were allowed to stick around, the vast majority of familiar faces were given their pink slips as general manager Brett Veach and company went to work.
When the dust settled, the Chiefs had brand new starters across the entire line, from exciting young rookies to big-ticket veterans. Filling in the blanks was a second-string line of guys with plenty of starting experience. It took considerable time and effort, but the Chiefs were able to enter 2021 with the sort of ceiling and security across the entire offensive line that they’d not had in years in Kansas City.
While the bigger moves made last year are still very much in effect in Kansas City, Veach still has quite a bit of work to do along the front line due to the short-term nature of some of those signings—such as that of former L.A. Rams lineman Austin Blythe. For Blythe and others, the one-year agreements from a season ago are up and further security and depth must be added.
As we survey the Kansas City Chiefs free agents-to-be, let’s explore the case for bringing back center Austin Blythe.
For his part, Blythe arrived in Kansas City as an exciting one-year wonder who was supposed to supplant Austin Reiter at center as a slight veteran upgrade without further moves. If the Chiefs did decide to draft someone (like Creed Humphrey in the second round) then Blythe would serve as insurance in case he wasn’t quite ready while adding versatility as a backup lineman in case Blythe lost the starting gig.
In our latest free agent profile, it’s time to look at the case of bringing back Blythe (or not) in light of the team’s present needs and the likely moves to be made further down the line.
Why bring him back?
The Chiefs are looking at potential losses along the line that go far beyond Blythe in the interior. Kyle Long is set to hit free agency after returning from retirement to join the Chiefs. Mike Remmers has been a super sub himself but he’s ready to hit the open market, too. Andrew Wylie has been so valuable as a versatile lineman and he’s going to hit the market for the first time in his career after finishing his restricted free agency last year.
While the Chiefs still have Nick Allegretti as an interior backup to go behind Joe Thuney and Trey Smith, it’s uncertain how well he would fare at center despite experience at the position back in college (Illinois).
Blythe was the starting center for the Rams in 2020 for 16 games and was a 16-game starter at right guard the year before that. As another pro-ready Iowa product, he’s been well-coached for quite some time and the Chiefs could feel good about the tandem of Humphrey and Blythe in the heart of the line—just in case.
Why let him walk?
Given the further losses along the offensive line, the Chiefs might want to draft some further interior help to place them alongside Allegretti instead of going year-to-year with veterans for their o-line depth. Allegretti himself has a few years under his belt, so it makes even more sense knowing the cupboards will be bare again next spring.
It’s also possible that Blythe might looking for more playing time before it’s too late for him to find a starting role. The need for even average linemen around the league could create a market for Blythe or at least a clearer path to starting reps.
Recommendation
Letting every potential offensive lineman leave this offseason feels a bit much in a single offseason, especially noting how dangerous things can get at times. Just ask the Chiefs from 2020 how they feel about handling offensive line injuries. The Chiefs need to maintain the depth they acquired last season because no team ever knows how things will play out in such an important area of the roster.
Whether the Chiefs are able to bring back Wylie, Long, Remmers, and/or Blythe, the team needs to do what it can to re-sign at least one of them to keep the interior secure with Allegretti and someone from this list to back up the talented trio of starters along the offensive front. It only takes a single play for the Chiefs to lose an anchor in the trenches.
Prediction
It makes sense to test the waters with Long and his interest in returning and for Blythe and his monetary demands (same as Wylie) and bring back the one most amenable to a return for the least amount of money. Just one more veteran in the fold to do with a day three pick and whoever stands out from futures signings should be good enough to hold things down.