Kansas City Chiefs Sign Guard Kelechi Osemele to One-Year Deal
Following Friday's breaking news that starting right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif would be opting out of the 2020 NFL season, the Kansas City Chiefs added a veteran presence to their offensive line on Saturday evening.
First reported by Terez Paylor of Yahoo Sports, the Chiefs have agreed to terms with two-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro Kelechi Osemele.
Osemele is an eight-year NFL veteran who spent four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens before spending three years with the Oakland Raiders and a truncated 2019 with the New York Jets. Osemele's Pro Bowls and All-Pro selection came in his first two years in Oakland.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that it's a one-year deal for Osemele, worth a maximum of $2 million. Rapoport also notes that Osemele is presumably healthy once again, and will fill the void left by LDT.
Osemele's 2019 was cut short after he underwent shoulder surgery that was not approved by the Jets, who later released the veteran guard. Via the Associated Press:
Kelechi Osemele’s ongoing battle with the New York Jets took another turn Wednesday, as the injured offensive lineman told reporters Jets GM Joe Douglas admitted the team sent doctors blank MRIs of Osemele’s shoulder. Douglas called the mishap “an honest mistake.”
Osemele has sat out the last three games with a torn labrum and refused to practice. He will undergo surgery on Friday after receiving a third opinion on his labrum, which doctors say is torn off the bone. The Jets have not approved the surgery, but Osemele says he plans to go under the knife anyway to be ready for the start of next season. The procedure entails a four-to-six-month recovery and would end his season.
If Osemele is, in fact, healthy and ready to go, the Chiefs may have gone less than 24 hours without their leading candidates to start at guard when the Chiefs, hopefully, kick off the season on September 10.
So far, quarterback Patrick Mahomes is giving the move the seal of approval.
