New options give the Chiefs offensive line some potential new looks against the Buccaneers.
The Kansas City Chiefs offensive line (and the positional coach Andy Heck) deserve some serious credit for their efforts so far in the 2020 season. Every year features a number of injuries across the roster, which means certain positions take bigger hits from one year to the next, but this season in particular has provided Heck and the rest of the Chiefs staff and players several major obstacles to overcome.
The biggest hurdle for the Chiefs offensive line is one with which they are still contending: the loss of right tackle Mitchell Schwartz. The list begins here, because Schwartz is the offensive cornerstone for the Chiefs, a first-team or second-team All-Pro in each of his four seasons in K.C. so far who is well-respected around the league as one of the very best to man the position. Not only is he an elite performer, but he’s an anchor on the right side in terms of dependability—or at least that was the case.
The loss of Schwartz should not be minimized despite the Chiefs ability to win every game but one so far this season. Schwartz was the brick wall on one side for the Chiefs, a consistent performer who shut down opposing pass rushers game after game. He was also a communicator, leader, and mentor and his absence on the field is being felt by more than just Patrick Mahomes, who has to worry more than ever about defenders from that side.
Mike Remmers has filled in admirably for Schwartz outside after signing to serve as a sixth man of sorts, but it’s not a slight to Remmers in any way to say that Schwartz is missed.
Speaking of Remmers, he was signed to be a sixth man of sorts for the Chiefs as a versatile veteran backup, but it didn’t take long until the Chiefs called on him to sub in for left guard Kelechi Osemele, who tore tendons in both knees during Week 4. Remmers was going to start inside there until Schwartz was injured soon thereafter.
The loss of Osemele was another unexpectedly serious blow for two reasons. First, the Chiefs didn’t know how good they would have it by inserting Osemele in at left guard, but from his first week, it was clear how his intensity, size, and strength would be welcomed on that side. Second, he went down on a freak play, a non-contact injury suffered in both knees while trying to run downfield to block for a scrambling Mahomes.
Before the season even began, the Chiefs also lost one starter and another key backup through the ability of players to opt out for the 2020 season due to COVID-19. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif made waves as the first NFL player to officially decide to opt out in order to serve in a medical environment alongside others on the front lines. Meanwhile rookie tackle Lucas Niang, the team’s third round pick, also decided to opt out for a year, which meant the Chiefs lost their best replacement for a potential injury like Schwartz’s.
In addition to the long-term injuries at left guard and right tackle, the Chiefs have also been waiting all season long for the return of Martinas Rankin, who went down with a patella injury last November and is just now healthy enough to return to the active roster (more on that later). It also hasn’t helped that the team has rotated starting centers between Austin Reiter and Daniel Kilgore, likely due to both Reiter’s sore knee and a curiosity to see how Kilgore fits in.