Are we so sure that Mitchell Schwartz is finished with KC Chiefs?

Let’s pretend for a second and allow a scenario to play out from one month into the hypothetical future, one in which the K.C. Chiefs plans on the right side of the offensive line might not play out as hoped for general manager Brett Veach.

Heading into the offseason, it’s clear that Veach was determined to remake the offensive line, and even his swing-and-miss target was a reach for the biggest name available in Trent Williams. The overall haul included the single best guard on the free agent market, the best offensive tackle on the trade market, and one of the best centers in the NFL Draft.

It’s hard to imagine any scenario, even in a hypothetical sense, in which Orlando Brown, Jr. isn’t the answer at left tackle or that Joe Thuney might somehow disappoint at left guard. Even if Creed Humphrey isn’t quite ready at center just yet, Austin Blythe should be able to hold things down long enough to allow him to mature.

Why are we so sure that the Chiefs are done with Mitchell Schwartz?

However, it’s on the right side that some potential hiccups could occur. It’s not that there aren’t some solid options, but each comes with just enough of a question mark to believe that, if the planets aligned in just the right (er, wrong) way, things might not work out.

Specifically looking at right tackle, the Chiefs are going to want to make sure things are locked down solid heading into the regular season. In fact, it’s at this position that the Chiefs are used to watching the best of the offensive line with the long-term presence of Mitchell Schwartz outside. Unfortunately for both the team and the player, the Chiefs watched Schwartz leave a game against the Buffalo Bills in Week 6 with back pain and he never again returned to the field, even in the postseason.

This offseason, Schwartz found himself facing back surgery as well as an unexpected release from the Chiefs as the team cleared the financial slate in order to rebuild the roster. To date, however, Schwartz is still very much a happy citizen of the Kansas City area without a mention or nod of retirement in his interactions with fans on Twitter or the media. In short, Schwartz is technically a free agent without a team to call his own, yet he’s been nothing but positive about his time in K.C. even after being let go.

All of this begs the question: what if the right tackle piece of the rebuild doesn’t go according to plan?

1. What if Lucas Niang isn’t quite ready to step in for a Super Bowl contender as he tries to make the leap the NFL after a year away from the game entirely?
2. What if Kyle Long cannot stay healthy enough to give the Chiefs any real security at the position, a reality that’s already showing its teeth?
3. What if Mike Remmers looks more like a veteran journeyman after another long season instead of a solid reserve stepping up?
4. What if no one else looks that inspiring among other potential players outside, including Andrew Wylie, Yasir Durant, Wyatt Miller or Prince Tega Wanogho?

If we’re honest, there’s not a single point among the four listed above that sounds outlandish. Each and every one of them are realistic points that could force the Chiefs to move onto another. If all of them fell apart, or even two or three, would Veach reach back out to Schwartz?

Here’s the bottom line: the right side of the line is far from a sure thing for the Chiefs, even with so many cooks in the rebuilt kitchen, and Schwartz has yet to find another team at this point in the offseason. Until one side or the other shuts down the idea, it remains an option on the table. Doesn’t it?

No one is saying such an idea is likely. And it’d be nice to see Schwartz get healthy and succeed elsewhere even as the Chiefs find a new long-term hope in Niang, given their third-round investment in him. However, we should know to never say never until one of the parties involved says it first. Maybe, just maybe, Mitchell Schwartz isn’t done quite yet in K.C.