The Kansas City Chiefs' incredible run is over. They won't make the playoffs this season, and they don't even have much business trying to win any more games right now. If anything, they must focus on player development and draft positioning.
That's also why they're not going to take any chances with their injured players, since there's simply no point in risking further injury at this point. Per ESPN insider Adam Schefter, that's the case with linebacker Leo Chenal and right tackle Jawaan Taylor:
"Chiefs placed LB Leo Chenal and T Jawaan Taylor on season-ending injured reserve. They also waived RB Elijah Mitchell," Schefter reported on Saturday afternoon. With no hope of suiting up again this season, it's safe to say Chenal and Taylor's time in Chiefs Kingdom is over.
Leo Chenal, Jawaan Taylor's Time with the Chiefs Will Likely Be Over
Unless the decision-makers see no problem with running things back with this year's underachieving roster, Chenal and Taylor may have already played their last down for Andy Reid's team. Chenal's four-year rookie contract will expire at the end of the season, and with a shoulder injury and some tough financial decisions to make, he might be on his way out.
The Chiefs already spent big bucks to keep Nick Bolton around, and that means that there might not be enough money to spread around and also re-sign Chenal. He's a hard-hitting linebacker at the second level of the defense, but given that he's often a situational player, the Chiefs might have to prioritize making other moves.
He started 12 of 14 games this season, logging 58 total tackles (25 solo) to go along with five QB hits, 2.0 sacks, two tackles for loss, two passes defensed, and one interception.
As for Taylor (elbow), the decision to move on from him should be much easier. Once again, he's amassed double-digit penalties (13) and had the third-most accepted penalties (10) in the game, per NFL Penalties' data. He accounted for 11.8% of his team's penalties, constantly setting the offense back.
Taylor has been a liability more often than not. He's allowed 20 pressures on 517 passing downs, per Pro Football Focus, and it's only gotten worse as time has passed, as he allowed an average of 2.5 pressures in his last four games compared to a rate of 1.3 in the first eight.
With potential replacements like Esa Pole and Josh Simmons hanging around, the Chiefs might consider divorcing Taylor this offseason. Trading or cutting him would create $20 million in savings, per Spotrac, giving Kansas City plenty to think about.
After a disappointing year, there aren't many untouchables in Kansas City right now. Chenal and Taylor still have plenty left in the tank, but they've made it clear that they aren't good fits for the Chiefs, meaning it won't be a surprise if neither is around when training camp 2026 begins.