The four biggest roster questions for the Kansas City Chiefs
Right Tackle
The Chiefs have done a great job rebuilding their offensive line this offseason. Signing big names like Orlando Brown Jr. and Joe Thuney and drafting Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith have helped provide the most depth and talent they’ve had in years. Several positions could see competition for the starting job this season. At both center and right guard I feel really confident that whoever wins the job will be, at worst, an average NFL starter. The one spot on the line where I still have a little concern is right tackle.
The good news is that the Chiefs have a few different options to try and find one that works at the position. Mike Remmers is probably seen as the safest option. He started most of last season at right tackle and did a really solid job. The problem is that Remmers is a 32-year-old career journeyman who arguably played above his track record last season. Now maybe he just found the right fit in K.C.’s scheme and will be able to reproduce that same level of play, but I don’t think a dropoff in play would be a shocking development for most fans.
The player most fans are hoping earns the job is Lucas Niang. Niang was a third round pick last season, but sat out due to concerns with COVID-19. While he probably has the highest upside of any of the options currently on the roster, he also is the biggest unknown. He hasn’t played football in over a year now and has never taken a snap in the NFL. Some fans were worried about his weight when he reported to rookie camp last week looking a little heavy, but I don’t know that his weight in May makes him any more or less of a question mark. We just won’t know what to expect from Niang until the pads come on in training camp.
If Niang isn’t up to the task and the Chiefs aren’t sold on naming Remmers the full-time starter, they could also consider Kyle Long as an option. Long played most of his career in Chicago at guard but he did play some right tackle too. Most fans likely believe guard will be the best fit for him, but if Laurent Duvernay-Tardif or even Trey Smith show they deserve to start at guard, it would free up Long to contribute at right tackle if the Chiefs are still in need there.
If none of those three options should look promising early in training camp there is also the outside chance that they could try to bring Mitchell Schwartz back if he is healthy and still available. Schwartz loves Kansas City and has been open about it being where he and his family want to live, so it could be something that is mutually beneficial. The bottom line here is that the right tackle position is the one spot on the offensive line where I think fans are going to want to keep an eye on things. If someone can step up and claim the spot as their own, it would really solidify the offensive line makeover and allow the offense to fire on all cylinders.
Next up, the other spot on the offense that remains a question.