For the fourth straight yr, I’m contemplating the ten greatest questions I’ve for the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs for 2026. Let’s get began!
I’ve been doing this collection for 4 years, and annually, one of many greatest questions concerning the Chiefs going into the season is the crew’s plan at offensive deal with. Since left deal with Eric Fisher and proper deal with Mitchell Schwartz obtained injured through the 2020 season, the Chiefs have been by quite a few deal with combos and haven’t landed on a long-term one but.
Within the 2021 and 2022 seasons, the Chiefs traded for left deal with Orlando Brown Jr. and had guard Andrew Wylie play proper deal with for many of these seasons. After the 2022 season, the Chiefs determined to not pay Brown or Wylie and allow them to go in free company. The entrance workplace signed proper deal with Jawaan Taylor and left deal with Donovan Smith in free company. Taylor was disappointing however did begin for 3 seasons. Smith handled accidents and inconsistent play, rotating with the since-traded Wanya Morris at left deal with.
For the 2024 season, the Chiefs drafted Kingsley Suamataia within the second spherical to be the long run left deal with. Suamataia received the job in coaching camp, however was shortly benched for poor play that season. Morris performed left deal with for some time, however the Chiefs had been ultimately compelled to maneuver left guard Joe Thuney to deal with. That plan labored till Tremendous Bowl LIX, the place the Chiefs’ tackles obtained demolished by the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Chiefs addressed left deal with once more within the 2025 NFL Draft with Josh Simmons and signed Jaylon Moore to be the swing deal with. Simmons appeared like an immediate hit, however missed time all through his first season for a number of causes. Moore by no means supplanted Taylor when wholesome.
Now, going into 2026, the Chiefs launched Taylor and didn’t do something important within the offseason to handle the place, leaving Simmons and Moore because the presumptive starters.
The query is now about how nicely they may carry out in 2026.
Will Kansas Metropolis lastly have secure deal with play?
Do the Chiefs have sufficient depth at deal with?
Let’s dive into Simmons and Moore individually, then into the depth:
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JUNE 09: Josh Simmons #71 of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs smiles throughout obligatory minicamp at The College of Kansas Hospital Arrowhead Coaching Complicated on June 09, 2026 in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri. (Photograph by Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Photos) Getty Photos
As a rookie, Simmons flashed All-Professional upside. There have been questions on how athletic Simmons can be after tearing his patellar tendon in school, however that proved to be no difficulty.
Simmons confirmed elite explosiveness and agility in house. He was top-of-the-line pass-protecting tackles within the NFL as a rookie. He additionally confirmed flashes of being a weapon within the run sport. Simmons is finest in house within the run sport, but additionally has spectacular energy for a deal with on the slender aspect.
The one difficulty with Simmons going into this season is his availability. Sadly, it’s an actual concern. After the knee damage at Ohio State in 2024, Simmons missed 4 of his first 9 NFL video games because of private causes, so hopefully that was simply an outlier. He dislocated and fractured his wrist in Week 13 and didn’t end the season.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JUNE 09: Jaylon Moore #77 of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs stands on the sidelines throughout obligatory minicamp at The College of Kansas Hospital Arrowhead Coaching Complicated on June 09, 2026 in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri. (Photograph by Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Photos) Getty Photos
The larger query on the offensive deal with place is about Moore.
Moore is coming into his sixth season within the NFL at age 28, but nonetheless hasn’t began greater than six video games in a season. Moore has additionally by no means been named a starter going right into a season. The Chiefs are making a giant gamble that Moore can play nicely sufficient to start out a whole season.
Moore solely performed 427 snaps final yr, and his tape was just like what he confirmed as an understudy with the San Francisco 49ers. Moore is an efficient run blocker, notably on zone ideas on the bottom. He’s a bodily participant who can create house within the run sport.
The place Moore struggles is transferring in go safety. His foot pace and agility could be uncovered in house. He additionally doesn’t have a lot expertise with true go units. With the 49ers, Moore performed in a bootleg-centric go offense, the place the tackles had been insulated with transferring pockets and play motion. Kansas Metropolis will put Moore in house extra continuously.
Can Moore maintain up for a full season? Even when he does, will or not it’s ok? Or does he get uncovered over a protracted pattern of video games? It was stunning to see no actual insurance coverage added behind Moore, and it places much more stress on him to play nicely.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JUNE 09: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs leads the offense in a huddle throughout obligatory minicamp at The College of Kansas Hospital Arrowhead Coaching Complicated on June 09, 2026 in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri. (Photograph by Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Photos) Getty Photos
Behind Moore and Simmons, there are three candidates for the swing deal with place: Esa Pole, Chu Godrick, and rookie tryout signing Kahlil Benson.
Pole and Godrick had alternatives to start out on the finish of final season. Between them, Pole appeared one of the best. Pole is a restricted athlete who isn’t nice in house, however he’s massive and strikes individuals within the run sport, whereas Godrick didn’t look near incomes significant snaps.
Benson is a surprisingly undrafted rookie from Indiana based mostly on his movie. He’s one other massive deal with with size, however he’s way more athletic than Pole is. Benson is a stout participant who wants to enhance his go units in house. Benson tends to lunge and never shield his nook nicely. When he will get a grip on somebody, he can shut down a rusher, however he must keep away from giving up disastrous pressures.
If current historical past concerning the Chiefs’ tackles tells us something, it’s that certainly one of these three gamers should play in some unspecified time in the future. If that happens, which of the three will or not it’s?
Are they ok to be a swing deal with, or do the Chiefs must make an addition earlier than the season? Backup deal with battles aren’t essentially the most attention-grabbing coaching camp storylines, however I’m going to observe them as a result of they find yourself being necessary in Kansas Metropolis.
