The Kansas City Chiefs have won plenty of games in recent years, but they have yet to figure out the winning recipe at left tackle. The Chiefs have started a different left tackle in each of their five Super Bowl appearances in the past six years. Each time they lost the championship game, their offensive line struggled.
Kansas City signed left tackle Jaylon Moore in free agency, but he’s far from a guaranteed solution. The Chiefs cycled through multiple left tackles last season, beginning with second-year tackle Wanya Morris and second-round pick Kingsley Suamataia.
After those two didn’t pan out, the Chiefs took a gamble by signing veteran DJ Humphries in free agency. Ultimately, they were forced to move Joe Thuney to protect the blindside, which turned an All-Pro left guard into just an average-at-best left tackle.
Chiefs could trade up for a long-term left tackle in 2025 NFL Draft
With the 2025 NFL Draft just a week away, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach may be looking at add another offensive tackle to the roster. The Chiefs have been “actively looking to trade up” in the first round, ESPN’s Matt Miller reported.
The Chiefs are reportedly looking to move in front of the Houston Texans, who hold the No. 25 overall pick, in hopes of finding a long-term offensive tackle solution.
Two of the top four draft prospects — LSU’s Will Campbell and Missouri’s Armand Membou — are expected to be long gone by the time the Chiefs are on the board with their current selection at No. 31 overall. Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr. and Ohio State’s Josh Simmons are both currently projected to be selected in the last ten picks of the first round, but neither is guaranteed to make it to the Chiefs’ pick.
Conerly is a promising prospect but will likely need more time to develop. He can struggle against power rushers and will need to work on refining his hands and developing core strength. Kansas City’s target would likely be Ohio State’s Josh Simmons.
Simmons was considered to be one of the top offensive tackle prospects before he suffered a non-contact knee injury in October. He gave up just one sack over 19 career starts at left tackle and didn’t allow a single pressure in six games before the injury last season.