By Nick Athan
FOXSportsKansasCity.com and WarpaintIllustrated.com
July 30, 2010
One of the Kansas City Chiefs biggest offseason moves was the addition of Guard Ryan Lilja. On Friday afternoon, after his workout in Kansas City, there was no doubt that he was glad to be back home and in a Chiefs uniform.
Back in 2004 it was a dream come true for the Kansas State product to become a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. After a solid four-year stint for the Wildcats, the local boy signed an undrafted free agent contract to play for the team he watched growing up in Kansas City.
But then head coach Dick Vermeil felt that even though Lilja was solid in the pre-season, he needed to keep another defensive player. The hope was that Lilja would clear waivers and then could be assigned to the practice squad.
Well, that didn�t happen. The Indianapolis Colts snatched him up and for the next five seasons he was their starting guard, playing in front All-World quarterback Peyton Manning. It�s still unknown why the Colts cut their starting guard of five seasons, but some indicate that the team wasn�t happy with his performance in last season�s Super Bowl loss to the New Orleans Saints.
In league circles it was a big surprise that he was dumped. But the Chiefs acted fast and locked him down for three years.
This time, the man who played high school ball at Shawnee Mission Northwest in Kansas, plans on staying around a bit longer.
�I�m fifty minutes from my home town,� Lilja said to reporters on Friday. �It�s a special thing for me.�
In fact his addition could be very special for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2010. Last year the offensive line had their struggles trying to find five guys that could protect battered quarterback Matt Cassel.
Though they played well down the stretch, especially in the running game, they never really were able to give Cassel enough times to make multiple reads in passing plays. When they were able to protect him, his completion percentage was off the charts.
Still, this is a change from his Colts days, and he admits this offense isn�t yet on cruise control like it was under Manning.
�There was a lot of continuity up there,� Lilja said of the Colts� offense. �That�s obviously a positive. But this is a talented team and I�m excited to see how good we can be.�
And so are the Chiefs, who may have finally added the one piece of the puzzle along the offensive line that could give Cassel more time to throw the ball.
