The Kansas City Chiefs have the ninth pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft and there's been some rumblings that the team could spend that pick on an offensive tackle. Perhaps this is simply because the team has been traumatized by bad offensive tackle play and/or injuries in recent years but one former Chiefs o-lineman doesn't get why K.C. would go in this direction.
When asked about the Chiefs possibly spending their first pick in the draft on an offensive tackle, Mitchell Schwartz expressed confusion. He nailed it with this comment on X:
"[Taking an OT at No. 9] still makes no sense to me. I'd love for anyone who has said that OT is a position of need to come out and say why. 1st round LT, 2nd round LG, (former) highest paid center, (former) highest paid RG, highest paid 6th OL who's starter capable and signed to start. Don't get it!"
Schwartz certainly isn't wrong with what he's saying. The Chiefs have heavily invested in their offensive line, paying both Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith handsomely and then drafting Josh Simmons and Kingsley Suamataia in the first and second rounds over the past two years. They also paid Jaylon Moore last offseason and, as Schwartz said, he's more than capable of being a starter and proved that last year.
Mitchell Schwartz doesn't understand why Chiefs are being linked to first-round OT
Schwartz said that if the Chiefs do take an offensive tackle at No. 9, that he believes the board didn't fall the way they were hoping.
"Last thing I’ll say about this: if the Chiefs take OL at 9 I think that means the draft developed in a weird/bad way for them. None of their top guys fell, they couldn’t trade up, found no one (or no good deals) to trade back, and were basically stuck and had to take the guy."
This also makes sense. If the Chiefs take an OT with their first pick, that's probably who is the best player available on their board but that doesn't always mean that pick is the smart one to make.
Someone else asked Schwartz if maybe the Chiefs are already punting on Josh Simmons, their late first-round pick from a season ago. Schwartz didn't seem convinced but said if K.C. drafts an OT, then maybe that is the case.
"Someone needs to come out and say it. It’s the only thing that makes drafting an OT that high make sense, let along trading up for one. I don’t have inside info but I can’t believe they’ve given up on him already."
Everything surrounding Simmons last year was bizarre but it would be weird for the team to already give up on him. He played well when he was on the field and he's only been in the league for a year.
Ultimately, we'll have to see which direction the Chiefs take with their first pick in round one. Will they end up taking an OT despite attacking the position heavily recently? Or will they go with a bigger need such as wide receiver or edge rusher? Time to wait and see how it all plays out.
Add us as a preferred source on Google