While the left tackle position for the Kansas City Chiefs seems to be set heading into the 2026 season with Josh Simmons, right tackle is the lone spot on the offensive line with question marks and the makings of a month-long battle in training camp. For years, Jawaan Taylor had been a constant at the right side, despite continuous penalties that would cripple drives and enrage Chiefs fans to no end.
Now with Taylor's release months ago, Kansas City shifts its focus onto other worthy competitors that will fight for the spot. Veteran Jaylon Moore is entering the second year of a two-year, $30 million contract with the Chiefs, who played on both the left and right side of the line at times last season.
Young bulls Esa Pole and Kahlil Benson both went undrafted in the 2025 and 2026 NFL Drafts, respectively, and are both making a name for themselves in OTAs and minicamp. However, Moore, being a proven player in the league, along with an over $18 million cap hit, seems to have the inside track for the job, which is the sentiment Andy Reid shared with Chiefs media earlier this week.
Jaylon Moore has the early edge at starting RT spot according to Andy Reid
Reid acknowledged that the right tackle spot is an open competition but that Moore does curently have the upper hand and feels good about whoever comes out on top. While it's a nice sentiment, it casts some doubt on the Chiefs' overall process at the right tackle spot.
Giving Moore a contract of such magnitude would generally suggest that he is talented enough to have the job from day one. And for the most part in 2025, he showed out. Moore accounted for zero penalties and just three sacks. But his power and movement in the run game left much to be desired, which is Esa Pole's strong suit at a larger 6'7", 320 lbs.
Pole appeared in just five games last season, but had trouble with penalties, giving up three of them, thwarting possessions. The guy who is the biggest longshot to win the job is UDFA Kahlil Benson, who was a four-year starter in college and scored an 8.84 out of 10 RAS (Relative Athletic Score). While he has lots of room to grow in the technical aspects of his game, Benson may be the best natural athlete of all three of them.
At the end of the day, protecting Patrick Mahomes is the number one priority, especially coming off a torn ACL and LCL. So whoever comes out on top at right tackle will have a heck of a job on their hands with two players behind them ready to slot in at a moment's notice.
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