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While it isn’t as drastic a change as we saw after 2020, Kansas City’s offensive line will again be different in 2025.
For the third straight year, I’m considering the 10 biggest questions I have for the Kansas City Chiefs for 2025.
Kansas City Chiefs’ fans are well aware that the team’s 2020 and 2024 squads sputtered out in their respective Super Bowls largely because they couldn’t move the ball. In each case, struggles on the offensive line were a big part of the problem.
So in each successive offseason, the team made significant moves on the line. In 2021, it
signed left guard Joe Thuney,
traded for left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. and drafted two young stars:
center Creed Humphrey and
right guard Trey Smith.
While their moves weren’t as dramatic this year, the Chiefs will go into the coming season with a new left tackle and left guard. After
trading Thuney to the
Chicago Bears, they
signed tackle Jaylon Moore — formerly with the
San Francisco 49ers — and
selected former Ohio State left tackle Josh Simmons with the 32nd pick of the
NFL Draft.
By this time in 2021, we (mostly) knew what the offensive line would look like. While right tackle was a question — Lucas Niang and Andrew Wylie would compete for the spot in training camp — the other four spots were set.
That’s not the case in 2025. While Humphrey, Smith (and right tackle Jawaan Taylor, who was
signed in 2023) are the clear starters at their positions, who will be the Day 1 starter at left tackle — or at left guard? What will be the in-season contingency plan for each position? What should we expect to see in training camp — and in Week 1?
Left tackle
Going into camp, this is the most interesting position. Simmons is recovering from a torn patellar tendon, but has been cleared to participate in practices. Under the circumstances, it seems likely that Moore (with a dozen NFL starts under his belt) will get the first crack at starting reps.
But how long of a leash will the veteran have? While the Chiefs aren’t paying Moore an outrageous amount of money for the position he plays, they did invest real money into his contract. If Moore has a great camp, that will be great. But what if his performances are up-and-down? How long would it take for Kansas City to make a change? Would the team be willing to do it before Week 1?
How Simmons performs will be a big part of the equation. We simply don’t know how the rookie will look in his first action after the injury he suffered in October. If he immediately performs as he did with the Buckeyes in 2024, there’s zero doubt in my mind he will be the starter — but that’s not a guarantee. Even after he’s fully recovered, there will still be hurdles for the rookie to clear.
So, how quickly can Simmons get up to speed? Do the Chiefs even
want him to start Week 1, or would they prefer to give him more time to get into peak shape?
How Moore and Simmons play in training camp (and preseason) will be huge factors in determining what the Chiefs will do at left tackle.
Left guard
It now seems clear that
second-year player Kingsley Suamataia will begin training camp as the starter.
But this might be a mistake. I liked Suamataia as a prospect — and I still have some hope for him — but he was an abject failure as the team’s left tackle in 2024. While there’s a chance he’s just not cut out to be a left tackle, his technique (and get-off from his stance) proved to be well below NFL standards. Maybe it will be easier for him at guard, but he still must prove he can play the position.
A lot will be riding on Suamataia being ready to start — especially if the starting left tackle is a rookie. If he can’t do it, who will be up next? Head coach Andy Reid has
acknowledged that Mike Caliendo will also be competing to become the left guard. But if Simmons is ready to go, could we see Moore move inside? Could it be someone else on the roster — such as Wanya Morris, Hunter Nourzad or C.J. Hanson?
Right tackle
Reid (and offensive line coach Andy Heck) always say their goal is to have their five best offensive linemen on the field. Let’s say that by Week 1, Simmons is starting — and playing well — at left tackle, while Suamataia is holding on at left guard. But on the other side, Taylor continues to struggle. Is it possible that the Chiefs could move Moore into Taylor’s place? Will the Chiefs be willing to pull the plug on a player who will count $27.3 million against the cap this season?
If Taylor’s play doesn’t improve, I’ll be keeping my eye on this potential storyline.
The bottom line
Given the investments Kansas City has made in them, I would love for Simmons, Suamataia, Humphrey, Smith and Taylor to be the offensive line’s starting five. But it’s very possible that this won’t be the best group. There will be real competition at multiple spots — and we could even see changes during the season.
One thing is certain: the Chiefs will leave no stone unturned. Just as we saw last year, if something isn’t working, they will make changes. It may take much of the season for things to shake out — but as long as the offensive line is stable going into the playoffs, the team will have a shot.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26057830/2183169238.jpg "Tampa Bay Buccaneers v Kansas City Chiefs")
