Chiefs Graded For 'Smart' Offensive Moves This Offseason
Chiefs Graded For 'Smart' Offensive Moves This Offseason originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
We are at the stage of the offseason where OTAs and minicamps have taken place, and it is a hard period to truly judge offensive line play, with the Kansas City Chiefs a big watch here.
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Given that teams are unable to practice with physicality due to the NFL CBA, offensive linemen are often going against air, so we won't truly know what the Chiefs have in Jaylon Moore and rookie left tackle Josh Simmons until training camp.
But the line itself, for some, still has some uncertainty around it, with Patrick Mahomes' left side completely new, and that will take time to mesh.
However, while some are skeptical of the offensive line as a whole, Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr is rather bullish on what general manager Brett Veach was able to do this offseason.
"I think what Kansas City did was smart," Orr said. "You got Josh Simmons, but you back-stopped that with Jaylon Moore. And all of a sudden, even though you lose Joe Thuney, this doesn't look as crazy as it used to. There seems to be some sort of there there."
Former San Francisco 49ers guard Jaylon Moore blocks Arizona Cardinals linebacker Dennis Gardeck.Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Orr is right; it doesn't look crazy, but there are still many unknowns about the Chiefs' offensive line. Plus, we haven't spoken of Kingsley Suamataia moving inside to left guard from tackle.
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That is another element to consider.
After Mahomes was sacked a career-high 36 times last season, are the new additions to his protection enough to adequately keep him upright? Right now, that is unknown, but Orr seems confident that Moore, who is a career backup, and Simmons, when he gets healthy, can be solid players in front of Patrick.
Granted, this is all a projection; with training camp, we will get a definitive look at how the front five will mesh together.
Are the Chiefs "smart" for their business regarding the offensive line additions?
We'll let the cake bake on that one.
Related: Travis Kelce's Slimmer Frame Could Improve Play
Related: Chiefs Exuding Confidence in Mahomes Backup
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
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