Chiefs avoid offensive line disaster for now with Jawaan Taylor injury update

It is that time of year before the start of the NFL season when players of all positions are suffering significant injuries. Just this week, Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending meniscus injury. Several other teams have to adjust to the injuries that are starting to build up as the 2024 NFL preseason continues.

On Wednesday, Chiefs starting tackle Jawaan Taylor suffered a shoulder injury at practice that required him to be carted off the field. This would be a disaster for the Chiefs as the team has some questions about depth and consistency along certain sections of the offensive line.

Luckily for Kansas City and Taylor, his injury isn’t major and he should only miss a few weeks. While there is some hope for the Chiefs and Taylor after avoiding this disaster, there are some measures that the team will have to take as they continue to prepare for the upcoming 2024 NFL Season.

Chiefs avoid offensive line disaster for now with Jawaan Taylor injury update

There is bad news, but also good news regarding Taylor’s shoulder injury. It is not determined how much Taylor will be out with this injury as it could be weeks, potentially going into the 2024 NFL regular season. The good news is that Taylor has likely missed any major damage that forced him to get surgery, miss over half of the season or even the entire itself.

Tayor has been one of the most consistent offensive linemen in the league regarding being on the field. He has played and started in all previous five seasons since being drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2019 NFL Draft.

This season will be Taylor’s second year with the Chiefs as he brings a lot of stability on the right side of the offensive line. It will take some time for him to back on the field and then he will need to get used to playing through some soreness and get back into game shape. He might not miss much of the season, though. 

Plans for the Chiefs without Jawaan Taylor

Taylor isn’t the anchor of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl-winning offensive line, but he was still a prominent member of the unit. His loss will certainly have a huge impact to the offense, even if it is for a few weeks.  

Kansas City will now go to the depth chart for the next man up at right tackle. That player is likely Lucas Niang, a former starter for the Chiefs. The Chiefs drafted Niang in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft but opted out of the season due to COVID-19 implications.

He started at right tackle in seven of the first nine games of the 2021 NFL season while battling through shoulder injuries. Niang missed four games due to a rib injury and was able to start two more games in the regular season with one being at left tackle in Week 17. He suffered a torn patellar tendon in that same game, however. Unlike Taylor, Niang has had some issues staying healthy.

Since the 2021 season, Niang has played 21 games but hasn’t made any starts. This remaining preseason is Niang’s chance to earn a potential starting position along the offensive line later in the season.