Patience Is a Must With Chiefs’ New Offensive Tackle Plan
From the very week the Kansas City Chiefs signed offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor back in mid-March and up until early May, the general expectation was that the former Jacksonville Jaguars standout would be making the switch from the right side of the line over to the left.
Once Donovan Smith entered the room, though, that dynamic was brought into question.
Sure, Smith is on a one-year deal that carries a base of just $3 million and a maximum ceiling of $9M. That isn't starter-level money for a quality left tackle in today's NFL. With that said, some early reports indicated that Smith would have the opportunity to start at left tackle and during his press conference at the conclusion of rookie minicamp on Monday afternoon, head coach Andy Reid did very little to extinguish that fire when he praised Smith's ability.
“Yeah so he’s been a left tackle at a high level," Reid said. "If you look at – last year, he was hurt and then the year before that he was one of the top-rated left tackles in the League. And we’ve had a chance to play against him a couple times, so you know I know seeing him firsthand there (that) he’s a good football player.”
When asked about the team's projected offensive line configuration at organized team activities (OTAs) later this month, Reid said Smith is going to work at left tackle and likely be the designated player there for primary first-team reps.
“He’ll be the left side, yes," Reid said. "Probably with the ones.”
With Reid's comments on Monday coming across as pretty clear, it prompted some to switch from pencil to pen when writing in their 2023-24 starting offensive line. That decision very well could prove to be a haste one, though, as there's plenty of offseason still left to determine what will — and will not — be the lineup come Week 1.
In addition to three sessions of OTA workouts, Kansas City also has mandatory minicamp and training camp that must take place before the preseason ends and the regular season kicks off. How reps are divvied up at each step of the way will be worth watching, as Taylor's development could be compromised if he's splitting equal time at each tackle spot. The same could be said for 2023 third-round draft pick, Oklahoma's Wanya Morris. After all, these repetitions are finite. Teams are purposeful with dishing them out, whether it be for one reason or another.
Some of those intentional reps, however, can be experimental. It shouldn't surprise anyone if Morris spends a bit of time at left tackle this offseason but proceeds to be exclusively a right tackle in his rookie campaign. Conversely, it shouldn't come as a surprise if Morris or Lucas Niang flashes enough at right tackle that Taylor is put back on track to start opposite one of them. Smith, the newest addition to the room, is coming off a rough 2022 filled with injuries and underwhelming performances. If he doesn't bounce back to his previous form and instead comes up short in workouts, what happens to the plan then?
When the Chiefs allowed both of their 2022 starting offensive tackles to walk out the door via free agency, they knew the odds of finding a pair of long-term replacements in the same offseason were stacked sky-high against them. Adding Smith, a veteran with starting experience and the profile of someone who can continue doing so at an acceptable level, is a wise move for a team that had the cap space to do so.
On the other hand, the process itself is worth questioning. If playing Taylor at left tackle was the plan for nearly two full months, why put him through that specific offseason training just to ultimately pull the plug in favor of a player who didn't play well last season? Is having three right tackles and one left tackle a suitable balance for a Super Bowl contender? What does a potential Smith-Taylor bookend tackle setup mean for the likes of Niang and Morris? Answers, contrary to what folks want in May, won't be fully understood until weeks and months from now.
Reid shocked many by being so forthcoming with his thoughts on Smith. After a half-offseason with the team seemingly heading in one direction at left tackle, things could be set to change. The most critical element of this equation that must be factored in, as always, is that post-draft plans don't always come to fruition months later. There's too much offseason left for anything to be set in stone at the offensive tackle spot(s) for the Chiefs. OTAs, where everyone will learn more about Smith, Taylor and company, will serve merely as another step in an ever-evolving plan.
