Best free agents Chiefs GM Brett Veach can target for OL insurance

Jawaan Taylor's injury isn't supposed to be serious but just in case the Chiefs want to check out the market.

It wasn't a great sight for Kansas City Chiefs fans when Jawaan Taylor was carted off from practice after suffering what's been revealed to be a shoulder injury that the team isn't overly concerned about. Taylor was signed last offseason to fill the right tackle spot on the Chiefs offensive line and there were mixed results there from the former Jaguar.

On the one hand, Taylor started all 17 games for Kansas City last year, proving he was durable. On the other hand, there were times when fans might not have been sad if he had to miss time. He was penalized a league-leading 20 times, each more frustrating than the last. ds

With that said, if Taylor does have to miss any amount of time, what will the Chiefs do at right tackle? Would they consider bringing in some outside help so that Lucas Niang doesn't have to be relied solely upon to fill the void? They have Wanya Morris at swing tackle, so it's also possible the Chiefs could import someone on the left side and slide Morris out right.

If the Chiefs were up for importing someone from outside Arrowhead, however, here's the best looks on the open market right now at offensive tackle.

David Bakhtiari

Right off the bat, it's worth mentioning that Bakhtiari has played left tackle throughout his career and Taylor is obviously on the right side of the offensive line. Bakhtiari has also dealt with his fair share of injuries in recent years, starting just one game in 2021 and 2023.

The last year he played a full season was in 2016 so he wouldn't be relied upon to be a full-time starter for this team, even as good as he is. In 2022, the former Packer finished the season with a PFF grade of 79.8 and a pass-blocking grade of 87.8. When he's healthy, he's phenomenal but banking on him to be injury-free is probably not a bright move.

Still, in a bind, Bakhtiari could be worth adding to the offensive line as a depth piece.

Donovan Smith

Why not look to bring in an old friend in desperate times? Donovan Smith spent the 2023 season with the Chiefs after playing for the Buccaneers for the previous eight years. Smith's tenure in K.C. could have gone better, as he missed five games due to injury aaa was not good in the run-blocking department. Still he is a proven vet who has earned the trust of the coaching staff.

Smith is also a left tackle but, again, in a bind, if the Chiefs need to add some depth, why not call up an old friend and keep him on the depth chart? Smith is familiar with the offense and wouldn't be the worst option in the world in case of an emergency.

D.J. Humphries

Another left tackle, I know, but the best tackles available on the free agent market right now are left tackles. Humphries was a first-round pick by the Cardinals in 2015 and has battled injuries throughout his career.

With that said, he started all but two games for the Cardinals in 2023 and finished with respectable numbers for someone who has been injury-prone and was pushing 30 years of age. He did have nine penalty flags thrown in his direction but compared to Taylor, that feels small.

If the Chiefs want to add some help to their offensive line should Jawaan Taylor's injury turn into something bigger, these are just a few names they could consider. Lucas Niang would be the starting right tackle in all likelihood but perhaps these players could serve as depth should more injuries occur.

Let's hope none of this is necessary and that Taylor is good to go for an important 2024 season.