Chiefs’ Dream Scenario No. 2: Top-5 ranked offensive line leads the charge
Orlando who?
Games are won and lost in the trenches, so naturally, a dream scenario for the Chiefs’ continued winning ways would be to see the offensive line develop into a top-five unit in the league.
Pro Football Focus currently projects the Chiefs to own a No. 3 ranked offensive line in 2023 given the franchise’s roster moves this summer.
The interior unit of Trey Smith, Creed Humphrey, and Joe Thuney remains immovable. It’s the bookends that have changed: out go Orlando Brown Jr. and Andrew Wylie, in come Donovan Smith and Jawaan Taylor.
Well, if PFF predicts it, it must be true. We hope it’s true.
Kansas City can’t be too happy about Brown joining a rival team, though there’s plenty reason to be optimistic about the Smith and Taylor signings. Smith’s career-worst season in 2022 may be the anomaly, not the norm, and the 30-year-old tackle could set himself on a trajectory to renowned fame by serving as a reliable blindside protector for Mahomes. Admittedly, his pass and run block win rate dipped last season, and he ranked second in accumulated penalties. This year, Smith ups his game and performs at a respectable baseline to at least fills Brown’s shoes.
As for Taylor, the ex-Jaguars right tackle will be playing his natural position and can boast of his tried-and-true strengths in pass protection.
Changes to the offensive line can backfire more often than not, but in this ideal scenario, the Chiefs’ replacements fit in like a glove, and the franchise’s choice to overhaul their O-line takes them back to the championship.
Speaking of the Super Bowl…