Chiefs agree to terms on one-year deal with veteran G Kelechi Osemele, sources say
Starting right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif’s decision on Friday night to opt out of the 2020 NFL regular season left a hole on the Chiefs’ offensive line.
Less than 24 hours later, the hole was filled.
The Chiefs agreed to terms with veteran guard Kelechi Osemele on a one-year deal worth up to $2 million, sources familiar with the situation confirmed with The Star.
The 6-foot-5, 330-pound Osemele, 31, provides plenty of playing experience, having started 96 games over the past eight seasons since entering the league in 2012 as a second-round pick with the Baltimore Ravens.
He then played for the Oakland Raiders (2016-18), where he blossomed into one of the NFL’s elite interior offensive linemen and was a first-team All-Pro selection in 2016 and a two-time Pro Bowler (2016-17).
The Raiders traded Osemele to the New York Jets in 2019, but a shoulder injury cut his season short and the Jets released him after he underwent surgery.
Whether he will fill in immediately at right guard remains unclear, but there’s little doubt the Chiefs have a starting-caliber player in Osemele, who made the Pro Bowl as a left guard.
The Chiefs have flexibility with the signing to move Osemele to left guard and slide veteran Mike Remmers, who signed a one-year deal during free agency, to right guard.
Terez Paylor of Yahoo Sports first reported the signing.
This story was originally published July 25, 2020 at 8:53 PM.
