When the Kansas City Chiefs signed a little-known offensive tackle out of Washington State last year, not many people batted an eye. The Chiefs' offensive line room seemed set with Jawaan Taylor, Josh Simmons, and Jaylon Moore, and the addition of Esa Pole seemed inconsequential. Pole did not even crack the Chiefs' opening day roster, but they picked him back up onto their practice squad after he was cut by the Jets, and later promoted him to the active roster after the injury to Josh Simmons.
Pole started five games for the Chiefs at left tackle last season after the injury bug wreaked havoc on the Chiefs' offensive line, and he looked strong on the blindside. He proved to be a strong pass protector, with a big frame and a strong anchor, allowing him to win early in reps against a variety of pass rushers.
I do think Big Bob Tonyan is going to make the roster as TE3 and I don't want to get ahead of myself, but Esa Pole has something to him pic.twitter.com/w3OFIwxaW4
— Daniel Harms (@InHarmsWay19) August 10, 2025
I first discovered Pole when he signed with Washington State as a JUCO prospect from Chabot (ironically, also my last name, but I have 0 connection) College. On my draft board, I had Pole pegged as a fourth-round prospect who just missed out on my top 100 players, and I loved the Chiefs' decision to bring him in after the draft. After returning to the Chiefs following his short stint with the Jets, Pole proved to be the type of player I thought he could be before the draft.
Pole looked excellent at left tackle last season, and despite having played almost exclusively left tackle in his college career, Pole has the skills to play on the right side as well. Pole will likely work on his feel for the right side of the line this offseason, and with a strong training camp and preseason, he may very well compete with Jaylon Moore for the starting right tackle job.
From UDFA to major depth piece, Esa Pole could provide a lot more value than fans think this season for the Chiefs.
Pole has a massive frame, listed at 6-7, 320 lbs., and he knows how to use that size to be effective. He has an excellent anchor and knows how to bear down and hold his ground against bigger defensive linemen. He proved this last season at left tackle when he was able to hold his own against the Broncos, Raiders, and several other top DEs across the NFL.
The Chiefs showed their confidence in Pole when they shied away from drafting a tackle this offseason, and clearly, the team is content with the top three guys they currently have on the roster. Josh Simmons looks like a star at left tackle and may be the best blindside blocker the Chiefs have had since Eric Fisher. But he has a history of injuries, and even if Esa Pole does not win the starting job on the right side, he will still provide immensely valuable OL depth for the Chiefs in 2026.
Nice job from Esa Pole to get to his spot and catch the spin. Oh look there's Bob Tonyan again pic.twitter.com/Gy78U5lfCb
— Daniel Harms (@InHarmsWay19) August 10, 2025
With Patrick Mahomes returning from the worst injury of his professional career, the Chiefs are going to continue to value keeping him upright in the backfield. The Chiefs have one of the best starting five offensive line units in the NFL, but when it comes to the front five, depth is incredibly important. Pole fills one of the most valuable spots on the Chiefs' roster as the depth swing tackle, and he very well may be one of the best swing tackles in the league.
Pole has star potential, and with his elite frame, there is plenty of room for him to continue his development. But already, Pole has proven he is capable of being an NFL-level offensive tackle, and it should not shock anyone if he makes a run at the RT job this offseason. And even if he doesn't, there are few things more valuable than reliable offensive line depth in the NFL, especially with Patrick Mahomes at QB.
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