Guard Nick Allegretti says he came to Commanders to 'be a starter in Week 1'

After spending five seasons with the Chiefs, guard Nick Allegretti found a new home, signing a deal with the Commanders.

However, even after all that time with Kansas City, Allegretti did not get that many chances to be a part of the starting offensive line. Now, he gets the chance to compete in Washington.

“I have a ton of respect for the guys in Kansas City,” Allegretti said via the team’s website. “I enjoyed my role there, but I think I had gotten to the point in my career where I wanted to come and be a starter in Week 1. That’s my goal coming to Washington.”

In 2023, Allegretti played in all 17 games for Kansas City, but only started once — in the Chiefs’ final regular season game. In 2022, he started a total of three games, and in 2020 started nine games. In 2021 and 2019, he did not start at all. As he waited for the chance to prove himself, he got it last season after Joe Thuney suffered a torn pectoral.

Allegretti was told it was his time to shine, and he did. The 27-year-old was put in for the Divisional Round against the Buffalo Bills, helping them win and did the same for the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Then, he was called up once more for the biggest game of the year, and nothing was going to stop him. Allegretti tore his UCL during Super Bowl LVIII, played through it and helped the Chiefs become Super Bowl champions.

Now, Allegretti is one of the newest additions under head coach Dan Quinn as the team tries to fill holes from free agency.

“This was a great opportunity,” Allegretti said. “I have a ton of respect for coach Quinn and what he’s been able to accomplish in his career. It looked like I had a great opportunity to come in here and compete. That’s all I wanted.”

Even after suffering an injury of his own recently, Allegretti knows he is competing for a spot on the O-line. After the resilience he has shown, he is confident in his abilities, especially as he enters his sixth season with an entirely new team.

“I felt like a starter,” Allegretti said. “I knew that I could be a Day 1 starter, and that’s what I’m here to prove.”