Chiefs: Missing Links of the Offensive Line – PART I

Chiefs: Missing Links of the Offensive Line – PART I – All things were not perfect in the Kingdom after the Chiefs acquired the Lombardi Trophy in February. Every team every year, loses players to Free Agency, players they would have liked to have retained. Early this offseason, when Free Agency started, the Chiefs were able to retain 20 of 22 starters, but lost players at the same time. Later, they also lost players who opted out due to Covid-19.

Some of those players were crucial to the team effort though they may not have been starters. Compounding problems, please observe that injuries to players of the front five had great impact on the offense as well. This had applicability and effect on the new starters who were: Andrew Wylie at LOG and Center Austin Reiter. All in all, the Chiefs have experienced “Pain” in the group of players both during the 2019 season and as the new season approached.

Today, let’s take a look at the Chiefs Offensive Line. Who are the solid performers, starters and standard bearers? Who were the losses to the Offensive Line Room? Where are the weaknesses in the crew? Plus, the problems that Offensive Line Coach, Andy Heck, faces with the offensive line? Thus, it all begins and ends with the Missing Links, and injuries from the 2019 Campaign.

I remain very positive about the players the Chiefs have on the roster for the front five. Three of those positions are filled by veterans who are Pro Bowl level Players and constitute the foundation of the starting five.

The Starting Offensive Line and How We Got Here

In 2019, the starting offensive line was hit hard by injuries. Nearly all players suffered game losses except Austin Reiter at Center.

• Mitch Schwartz (ROT) – missed snaps due to injury, the first he’s missed in 3,000+ reps.
• Eric Fisher (LOT) – missed half the season after being injured in the opener.
• Andrew Wylie – became the starting LOG, missed games due to severe ankle sprain. In the end, it was Veteran Stefan Wisniewski bringing to bear his NFL experience and who came in late in the 2019 season to save the day for the left side interior line.
• Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (LDT) – whose play was not up to that of previous years, suffered an ankle injury and was out several games. It appeared to me he was not playing up to his own standards in 2019. This was caused by his leg fracture in Oct of 2018 then coming back too soon from that injury.

When you think of how important having Fisher and LDT missing in action affected the players who were new starters, I think you get the gist of what I believe happened in 2019 and how I view the players of 2020.

Martinas Rankin, like Wisniewski, was a depth player added. He came in for LDT but his season was cut short by his knee injury. Substituting for LDT, who missed games due to an ankle injury, Rankin gave relief by playing more than 470 snaps extremely effectively. Rankin played well enough to be considered a top candidate for a starter role in 2020. It seemed as if ROG was a trouble spot all season but LDT returned to finish out the season after Rankin’s injury. The loss of players affects every team in the NFL, every season, but 2020 has additional costs.

During the buildup to the 2020 season, the Chiefs lost three important puzzle OL pieces – the missing links.

Missing Link Exposure #1: Where is the Wizard?

There’s No Place Like Home… There’s No Place Like Home… There’s No Place Like Home… but I thought that was in Kansas (City), not at Three Rivers in Pennsylvania.

Player departures had an immediate effect on the Chiefs in Free Agency. I was saddened by OL, Stefan Wisniewski, and his decision to leave. I truly thought that he was going to return to K.C. and that he would not be a, single season hired gun. He played very well and it was my premise that he would become a starting Guard for the Chiefs in 2020. Even before he arrived I had respect for Wiz. It’s true too, that Veach offered a contract indicating the Chiefs did want him back. However, Wisniewski decided to return to old haunts and signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Wiz played an important role down the stretch run to get to Miami and proved worthy of a starter’s role. He was the kind of man you want on your team in terms of ability, leadership and personality. As Andrew Wylie’s replacement, he was a top performer at LOG and completed the season as the starter on the left side.

Keep in mind that Wisniewski had been a starter and role player for many years. Maybe he wasn’t a top level OG but he had been a solid player and the Chiefs fully benefited from that — a great addition to the depth of the offensive line. Finding a place with K.C. added significant depth to the front five group and when Wylie was hurt, Wisniewski took over and played as you would expect a seasoned pro to play.

Wylie was a newcomer to a starting role at LOG and his numbers suffered. However, the previous season Andrew Wylie played well at ROG while LD-T was out due to his leg fracture. Because of his previous usage by the Chiefs as a top “First-In” depth player who could play Tackle or Guard, if you subtract out the idea that he would become a starter in 2020, then the need to replace him would be to get an experienced veteran brought aboard for at least quality depth so his missing link status.

Missing Link Exposure Number Two – The Doc is in Another “House”

Dr. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif – LDT – has been a stable fixture to the right of center for several seasons. At the end of 2018 he fractured his leg and went through rehab, then he tried to come back too soon. I think his numbers for 2019 demonstrate the validity of this view – his worst season statistically since his first starting job. When the Doc was out due to the leg injury in 2018, Andrew Wylie took over and did a good job as a sub. This, plus his effort in camp in 2019 and pre-season earned him a starting role as the LOG. Wylie’s performance was average at LOG until he was hurt. He came back and didn’t play well at all. Enter Wisniewski. I have a great deal of affinity for LDT. It was unfortunate that he suffered severe Injury in 2018.

During the off-season before football in 2020, LDT worked with the KU Med Center in caring for patients, especially the aged who are part of the “at-risk” population susceptible to the Covid-19 virus. He was drafted in the 2015 draft, and went through his ‘red shirt’ season in 2015. In 2016 through 2018 he has been a stabilizing force on the OL.

Duvernay-Tardif received a $150,000 advance on his salary with no credited season. His contract would toll, or pause, and resume in 2021. A contract that was restructured this off-season, this could also be the last we see of him in Kansas City. I regard this as an unfortunate possibility and for this reason I can see Kelechi Osemele sticking around.

I am sure that much deliberation went into making the decision to forego the 2020 season to work in the medical field for this reason. I am sure as well that Larry consulted with GM Brett Veach, Head Coach Andy Reid and the coaching staff before making this decision. He is now a medical doctor. Last though, he still needs to do his internship to complete his work. He also has a sworn oath and I believe that weighed heavily in his thinking and his view of his responsibility.

The Chiefs gained cap space of $5M as a result of LDT absence. It is doubtful, in my mind, that LDT ever plays another game in a Chiefs uni because of the “Monies” Game. This will especially be true if the Veteran Guard brought aboard in his stead decides to remain a Chiefs. More on that follows. Duvernay-Tardif Announced on July 24^th his decision regarding the 2020 NFL season:

Given that LD-T has been a solid starter on the interior line, his decision to sit out the season was a blow to the offensive line room. He will be sorely missed this season though you have to tip your hat to LD-T and his moral decision to work in his medical capacity in the private sector due to the virus outbreak.

Missing Link Exposure Number Three – Martinas Rankin

I can’t say enough about how I felt about what Martinas Rankin did in 2019. He gave up zero sacks in 470 snaps at ROG. He proved that there are players in the NFL who can play good football if given the opportunity… and developed the right way. Until his injury, my view was that he was going to be a future starter at OG. Now my anticipation is delayed due to his late season injury and beginning his season on the PUP. Like Wisniewski, Rankin proves a point about Veach and his staff identifying quality players to add to the roster… who turn into good players.

The importance of Rankin cannot be undervalued. Because I view “First-in Players” as crucially important to position groups, there are three Missing Links for the 2020 season. Like Stefan Wiz, Rankin was exactly what was needed during the 2019 season due to injuries to front line players. Also like Wiz, he excelled at the craft.

All three Missing Link players were of great import to the offensive line and two of them were new to the Chiefs. All three men are highly intelligent while the two newcomers were able to easily adapt to the clubhouse and the Chiefs offensive playbook and blocking schemes. The latter two would have been invaluable in returning for 2020, but Wiz departed so my attention turns to Rankin getting ready for 2020… and other players.

Martinas Rankins’ role in 2019 as a depth lineman far surpassed expectations. His was a quality “starter” contribution. As each game was played, my appreciation of him grew exponentially. It’s sad that he opens the season on the PUP but I expect him back to the roster and possibly this will happen before the end of camp. He will be again, an important fixture for the group.

Summary of PART I – How The Missing Links of the offensive line are already Resolved

The exposures were present as the off-season began and player decisions were made. When Free Agency started, the team lost Wisniewski…. then LDT made his decision to work in the medical field… and after that it was announced that Martinas Rankin would begin 2020 on the PUP.

The Chiefs Missing Links of the Offensive Line – Part II will be published later today so look for it right here at ArrowheadOne, including: 3 Missing Link Resolutions. See you then. Go Chiefs!

David Bell –- ArrowheadOne

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