The Kansas City Chiefs have done their best to stay afloat amidst the torrent of offensive line injuries. As Week 15 comes into focus, it appears the worst might be behind them. Now, Patrick Mahomes and the offense can only hope it's not too late as their scheduled game against the Los Angeles Chargers comes into view.
The Chiefs host their AFC West rivals on Sunday in the first of four consecutive must-win games to remain even close to a playoff spot in the AFC. After starting the year 6-7, the odds are already stacked against them, but they'll at least get some reinforcements up front as they try to make the trek back toward a possible postseason berth.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid spoke with reporters before the team's Wednesday practice session and provided a fresh round of updates for the myriad injuries suffered along the offensive line. While the Chiefs certainly aren't in the clear, things are looking much better than they were a few days ago.
The Chiefs were down three starters and more along the offensive line in Week 14's loss to the Houston Texans. Only center Creed Humphrey and left guard Kingsley Suamataia were able to man their posts against the league's top-ranked defense.
Nothing is certain yet, but practice holds some real potential for reinforcements arriving for an ailing Chiefs offensive line.
Wanya Morris attempted to step in at left tackle in place of Josh Simmons, who was placed on injured reserve with a wrist injury. Meanwhile, Jaylon Moore took over at right tackle for Jawaan Taylor, who was out with a triceps injury, and Mike Caliendo manned right guard while Trey Smith was sidelined for another week with an ankle injury.
Unfortunately things went from bad to worse up front as Morris was lost on the Chiefs' first offensive play against Houston. He was replaced by rookie Esa Pole, who surprisingly turned in a solid performance when thrust into a starting role.
Coming into a new week, the Chiefs were hoping to at least get one player back, and that's already confirmed—at least in practice. Reid gave a quick update up front, saying two of the three were still out, but things were "making progress."
"Wanya [Morris] is gonna take a little time here, but Jawaan [Taylor] is making progress and we’ll just see how he does this week as he works through this thing. Trey, the rest of the guys are practicing today."
Smith's return to the lineup solidifies one of the NFL's best interiors , which could make things much easier for all parties involved. The ground game is much better with Smith in the lineup as a mauler. His arrival also means that the entire right side is not comprised of backups. Caliendo remains the weakest link up front, so the floor will be elevated by this development alone (assuming Smith remains healthy and available).
Taylor as a wild card could make things interesting up front. Pole's solid work on the left side is going to have fans wanting more, but if Taylor is back, then Jaylon Moore will slide over to the left side. At the very least, the Chiefs can feel better about their tackle depth having seen Pole perform well in an emergency role.
It's unlikely the Chiefs are back to full strength up front until the 2026 campaign (or by some miracle, this year's postseason knowing that Simmons could be back in time for a playoff run). But at least some injured players will be returning to help the uphill climb toward a .500 record and hopefully more. The Chiefs will take any good news they can get.