Chiefs' Nick Allegretti proven to be perfect contingency for All-Pro LG Joe Thuney
The Kansas City Chiefs might need to rely on their offensive line depth for the upcoming AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens. Chiefs All-Pro LG Joe Thuney suffered a right pec injury on what would be the game-winning touchdown run from RB Isiah Pacheco. He suffered a right pec strain, and while I'm told it's […]
The Kansas City Chiefs might need to rely on their offensive line depth for the upcoming AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Chiefs All-Pro LG Joe Thuney suffered a right pec injury on what would be the game-winning touchdown run from RB Isiah Pacheco. He suffered a right pec strain, and while I'm told it's a low-grade strain, there is still a possibility that it will keep him out of the conference championship game. The training staff will be working around the clock to get him ready, but if he's unable to go they've got a great contingency in place.
Stepping in for Thuney after his injury was backup OL Nick Allegretti. He's been the go-to interior offensive line backup for the Chiefs for several seasons, appearing in 74 regular season games with 13 regular season starts during his NFL career. He has also appeared in 14 postseason games with three postseason starts in his career. If he starts in the AFC title game, it'll mark his second career start in a conference championship game.
Yes, he was part of the beleaguered Chiefs offensive line that started against the Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV, but his performance in that game was more of a product of the whole unit. Stepping in out of the cold for Thuney in crunch time during the divisional round against the Buffalo Bills should be how his play is judged.
In his first play off the bench, Allegretti delivered what could have been the dagger for Kansas City, if Mecole Hardman hadn't fumbled through the end zone on the ensuing play.
Later, Allegretti actually got a chance to deliver the run block that helped close out the game.
While Allegretti does have some athletic limitations compared to Thuney, he shouldn't be underestimated as a pass-blocker either. He didn't get many chances to showcase it against the Bills defensive front, with six pass-blocking snaps. He allowed no pressures in those six snaps in the most pivotal moment of the game. One snap against Da'Quan Jones stood out the most. If he can get his hands on a D-Lineman, there's a good chance that he can control them through the rep.
The ideal situation for the Chiefs would be to head into Baltimore with their All-Pro starter healthy enough to give it a go, but if he can't do that, fans shouldn't waver in their belief in the team.
Allegretti is a seasoned veteran. He chose to come back to Kansas City on a one-year deal in 2023 when he was a free agent and could have taken a starting job with other teams. That also means that he's still in a contract year, and as our good friend Terez Paylor used to say: "The contract year is undefeated."
Chiefs may have cost themselves an extra compensatory pick in 2024 NFL draft
The Kansas City Chiefs are projected to receive a single compensatory pick in the 2024 NFL draft, but they could have received another if not for the Mecole Hardman trade.
