Chiefs, OL Austin Blythe agree to one-year deal

The Chiefs are bringing in more outside help for their offensive line. They agreed to sign former Rams starting center Austin Blythe, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. It’s a one-year deal.

Blythe will join Joe Thuney and Kyle Long as interior O-line additions this offseason for the Chiefs. Blythe started three seasons with the Rams, doing so at both center and guard. The Chiefs used Austin Reiter as their primary center over the past two seasons, and although they made an offer for Reiter to return, they appear to be moving on at the position.

A full-time guard starter on the Rams’ Super Bowl LIII-qualifying team, Blythe has started 47 regular-season games since the start of that 2018 season. The former seventh-round Colts pick established himself as a quality Rams starter and will be in line to work as the Chiefs’ starting center. The Rams moved Blythe to center last season, and Pro Football Focus graded him ninth at the position.

The Rams claimed Blythe off waivers in 2017 and turned to him as a replacement for the suspended Jamon Brown in 2018. He kept his job after Brown’s reinstatement and played guard in 2019 as well. The Rams re-signed Blythe last year but will lose him. Despite Sean McVay wanting the team to retain Blythe this year, Andrew Whitworth and right tackle Rob Havenstein remain from Los Angeles’ Super Bowl O-line.