Offensive tackle prospects who could solve the KC Chiefs concerns
By KC Proctor
Much of the draft conversation surrounding the Kansas City Chiefs has been geared towards filling holes at two of the most incomplete positions on the roster: defensive backs and pass rushers.
While the Chiefs secondary deserved applause on the back half of the 2021 campaign, the departures of Charvarius Ward and—still, probably—Tyrann Mathieu will be glaring in 2022. Justin Reid was signed in free agency to supplement the Mathieu absence, but as far as replacing Ward goes, all that’s been done is signing Luq Barcoo and retaining Deandre Baker, who has almost exclusively been on the IR since arriving in K.C. in 2020. As it sits today, roughly three weeks ahead of the draft, the Chiefs’ depth chart features Rashad Fenton on the right, Deandre Baker on the left, and L’Jarius Sneed as the slot corner.
As far as pass rushers go—although the defensive tackle position showcases some intriguing depth with Chris Jones, Derrick Nnadi, Tershawn Wharton, and Khalen Saunders—the room is embarrassingly thin. Frank Clark is widely disapproved of in the Kingdom for the imbalance in his pay and performance, and his counterparts are currently limited to Mike Danna, Joshua Kaindoh, and Jonathan Woodard, who hasn’t played in the NFL since 2018.
Brett Veach and Co. are sure to address one if not both of these issues in the first round. Depending on how they decide to use the draft capital, with picks 29 and 30, we may see a trade-up on day one to grab a talent that they are high on. Maybe a Trent McDuffie or an Andrew Booth Jr at cornerback, or a Travon Walker-type edge rusher who is in the second tier of this deep class—a range for which they may not have a chance at the bottom of the first round.
No matter what dreams we are all having of star power gathered on the opening night of the 2022 NFL Draft, there is one last hole in the Chiefs roster that desperately needs improvement. Particularly when considering the aggressive pursuits of the other AFC West contenders this offseason. The offensive line, while anchored by — a hopefully soon extended — Orlando Brown, and reinforced by possibly the very best interior in the league, is in dire need of greater depth at the tackle position.
Here are the top three tackle prospects that could be in the Chiefs’ sights in the first two rounds of this year’s draft.