Chiefs Must Reunite With Another Former Starter After Week 8 Struggles
The Kansas City Chiefs are a perfect 7-0 as they return to Arrowhead Stadium in Week 9 for their Monday Night Football showdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The flawless start can be credited to Chiefs players across the lineup buying into Andy Reid's system.
If that continues, a third straight Super Bowl victory isn't out of the question.
But even though the defending champions have yet to lose, their performances haven't been perfect. The starting left tackle job has been a concern lately and things only became worse after Wanya Morris' abysmal performance against the rival Las Vegas Raiders in Week 8.
If Kansas City has its sights set on another Super Bowl victory, quarterback Patrick Mahomes needs to most reliable protection possible. That's why it might be time for the Chiefs to reunite with one of their former starters.
Chiefs Should Reunite with LT Donovan Smith
This year's trade deadline is on Nov. 5, giving the Chiefs a week if they want to acquire another LT in a deal. Having said that, a trade might not be necessary as the perfect solution can be found in free agency: veteran blocker Donovan Smith.
A former 2015 second-rounder, Smith began his NFL career with the Buccaneers before joining the Chiefs on a one-year deal ahead of the 2023 season. He played a vital role throughout the year, starting in 12 regular season matchups as well as in each of Kansas City's four postseason outings en route to capturing his second Super Bowl ring.
Although he wasn't always perfect, Smith still decently protected Mahomes to the tune of a 60.3 pass block rating in the regular season, per Pro Football Focus. The former Penn State product then stepped things up in the playoffs with a mark of 66.4 after allowing 11 pressures on 182 passing downs.
For comparison, Morris and Kingsley Suamataia — who was the starting LT in Weeks 1 and 2 — have played to pass block grades of 54.8 and 42.3, respectively, this season.
The Chiefs didn't bring Smith back during the offseason because they likely weren't blown away by his performance, but that's irrelevant now. Their current options are clearly among the worst in the NFL, meaning it might be time to see if Smith is willing to sign for the remainder of the campaign. Their championship outlook could depend on it.
Fortunately, despite their starting LT issues, the Chiefs are still beloved by oddsmakers. FanDuel Sportsbook is still listing Kansas City as the +450 Super Bowl LIX favorite before the Week 9 action begins.
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