Grading the KC Chiefs offense prior to the 2021 NFL Draft

Offensive Line: C+

This is the big one right? The Chiefs offensive line was one of the more impactful reasons they lost the Super Bowl. Since then, they let two of their longest-tenured starters at the position go at the start of the new league year.

Eric Fisher had a major lower leg injury, so the idea that he was going to play this year always seemed far fetched to me. Mitchell Schwartz fell in the same boat. Back surgery isn’t always a career ender, but it can be, especially for a guy the size of an NFL offensive tackle. These two moves made more sense the more you thought about them.

To replace them, the front office went swinging for the fences and attempted to make Trent Williams the highest paid tackle in the league. Surprisingly, that didn’t workout. However, they were successful in upgrading the interior with Joe Thuney, Kyle Long, and Austin Blythe. With Laurent Duvernay-Tardif returning and a couple developmental prospects with another year under their belt, the interior unit should be better than last season.

The real question remains at tackle. Since the Trent Williams swing-and-miss, the Chiefs front office hasn’t done much of anything. Right now, this group looks like a mix of Mike Remmers, Martinas Rankin, and Lucas Niang with maybe a couple other players sprinkled in.

I think when it’s all said and done and the Chiefs take the gridiron for their first game this unit will be improved over last year. That unit will likely include a draft pick or two early in the 2021 NFL Draft. Until then, they are at best middle of the pack.