2025 NFL Draft: Chiefs Find Thuney's Replacement

SI's Bryan Fischer predicts the Chiefs to replace Joe Thuney with Ohio State lineman Donovan Jackson.

Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes offensive lineman Donovan Jackson (74) against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Chiefs have already made some serious moves the past week and shown that they want to be aggresive this offseason. First, they franchise-tagged their star lineman Trey Smith.

Many fans speculated that Smith was as good as gone, and that the Chiefs didn't have the capital to even tag him for another year. But after a hefty salary cap increase, that's exactly what the Chiefs did, locking up the most sought-after lineman for another year.

This was their first major move of the offseason, but it didn't stop there. Kansas City went on to trade three-time Pro Bowl guard Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears in exchange for a 2026 4th-round pick. While Thuney was an integral part of the line, he's going to be 33 in November.

There's a good chance that Kansas City decides to bolster the offensive line in the Draft, so trading Thuney away seemed like a plausible move.

According to "Sports Illustrated's" Bryan Fischer, that's exactly what the Chiefs should do. He projects them to select Ohio State's Donovan Jackson, a senior lineman who could end up being Thuney's predecessor. This is what he had to say on the guard:

"After tagging Trey Smith and trading Joe Thuney to the Bears, Jackson could be slotted in right away at guard," Fischer remarked. "Showcasing his ability to kick outside in a pinch during Ohio State’s national title run will only enhance Jackson’s value as a potential option if they move on from Jawaan Taylor after next year, too."

Jackson has been mocked to the Chiefs before. Just 2 weeks ago "NFL.com's" Gennaro Filice had the Chiefs making the same selection, but for a completely different reason. As I mentioned, it was looking unlikely that the Chiefs were going to be able to keep Smith, but with the news of the franchise-tag Jackson would now have a different role if drafted to KC.

As we get closer to April, we'll know more on what the Chiefs need in this upcoming draft. Based on their free agent signings, Kansas City will be able to prioritize certain postiions, and Donovan Jackson is definitely in play.

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