Chiefs are reaping the unfortunate consequences of cutting Esa Pole

Just two weeks removed from the 53-man roster deadline, the Kansas City Chiefs are in a bit of a predicament on the offensive line. With Josh Simmons struggling with a mysterious back injury, the Chiefs seemingly are preparing for life without him, at least for Week 1. We have now seen multiple reports from the Chiefs’ camp that they are ready to start UDFA pickup Kahlil Benson at left tackle if Simmons cannot go on Monday, a decision that has made waves across the community.

Coming into the offseason, it seemed clear the Chiefs’ offensive line would be set, with Simmons and Moore as starters and a swing tackle behind them. The favorite to be that swing tackle was Esa Pole, a UDFA pickup after the 2025 NFL Draft who appeared in five games at left tackle for the Chiefs. In those five games, Pole seemed to hold his own, even when facing some of the best pass rushers in the NFL.

But as the preseason progressed, it became clear Pole was falling out of favor with the Chiefs’ coaching staff. Kahlil Benson had made waves, even getting starting reps at right tackle and guard throughout training camp. But when an unexpected back injury came up for star left tackle Josh Simmons prior to the Week 3 preseason game, the expectation was that Pole would step in as he did just last year.

But this was not the case, and the Chiefs made the shocking announcement that Kahlil Benson would start the game at left tackle. Pole came in after Benson to play left tackle, where he allowed zero pressures over 27 pass-blocking reps.

Still, the relationship between Pole and the front office seemed to have soured. Brett Veach made two aggressive moves before the cut deadline, landing two depth offensive linemen with trades for Diego Pounds and Joshua Ezeudu. The Chiefs elected to waive Pole, who later went on to sign with the Commanders’ practice squad for the 2026 season.

By the time the roster deadline came, the decision to cut Pole was unexpected but not shocking. It seemed the Chiefs were uncomfortable with their tackle situation and that the moves they made would help solidify their unit for the 2026 season. The expectation from most analysts was that if Josh Simmons was out, either Diego Pounds would start at left tackle or Jaylon Moore would slide to left tackle and Benson would play on the right side.

But this week, the team’s announcement that Kahlil Benson would start on the blindside if Simmons cannot go shocked the Kansas City community. Benson has played just six career snaps (all against the Rams in Week 3 of the preseason) at left tackle and has limited experience in practice as well. This move stunned fans and analysts, as both Jaylon Moore and Diego Pounds have left tackle experience, as did Esa Pole, whom they waived just days beforehand.

Unless the Chiefs are using Benson at left tackle as a smokescreen, this move is shocking and confusing. In Week 1, Kansas City is going up against one of the best pass rushers in football, Nik Bonitto, who has combined for 27.5 sacks over the last two seasons. The Chiefs also have Patrick Mahomes returning from the worst injury of his career, and protecting him has never been more important.

Now, in just the first week of the season, the Chiefs will seemingly suffer the consequences of moving on from Esa Pole just two weeks ago. In 2025, Esa Pole contained Nik Bonitto and the Broncos’ pass rush in the last game of the season, and Josh Simmons was equally successful in Week 11. But now the Chiefs seem to be ready to throw another offensive tackle at Bonitto, one who has struggled to contain speed rushers in the past.

To be clear, this is not to bash Kahlil Benson, who has been one of the biggest surprises of Chiefs training camp. He has been exceptional and deserves a chance to prove himself. But it feels misguided to throw a kid onto the field who has never played left tackle at a competitive level rather than giving the call to the multiple tackles on the roster with experience at the position. Pole, Pounds, and Moore have all played left tackle in the last year, and it feels mistaken to throw Benson into the fire immediately.

If Benson does start at left tackle for the Chiefs on Monday, there is no doubt the fans will want to see him succeed. He has worked harder than anyone to carve out a role in the starting lineup, and if Benson is successful, the Chiefs have struck gold with yet another UDFA addition. But if he struggles, Andy Reid, Brett Veach, and other members of the Chiefs’ staff will have plenty of questions to answer before Week 2 against the Colts.

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