After a year as a Chiefs backup, Austin Blythe is heading west again. The former Rams starter agreed to a deal to join the Seahawks, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. It’s a one-year deal worth $4MM, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. This marks Blythe’s third consecutive one-year agreement.
Blythe signed in Kansas City before the team selected Creed Humphrey in the second round. Humphrey became the Chiefs’ starting center in Week 1 and made every start at the position for the Chiefs, presenting the makings of a long-term center for the perennial AFC West champions. Blythe figures to have a better opportunity for playing time in Seattle.
The Seahawks used Ethan Pocic as their primary center last year, but the five-year veteran is a free agent. In Blythe, the Seahawks are signing a player who was a full-time starter for the Rams from 2018-20. His market did not produce much last year, however, leading him to settle for a one-year Chiefs deal.
This represents a chance for Blythe to rebuild his value and for the Seahawks to deploy a proven starter as they reconfigure their offense post-Russell Wilson. Blythe, 29, caught on with the Rams in 2017 and started 47 regular-season games with the team in his final three seasons in Los Angeles. Despite moving from guard to center in 2020, Blythe finished as the NFL’s ninth-graded snapper that season, per Pro Football Focus. He spent the previous two years at guard, giving Seattle some options.