Blindside protection has been a recurring issue for most of Patrick Mahomes' tenure with the Kansas City Chiefs. They hope that Josh Simmons can end those woes in the long run, but he needs help on the other side of the line.
As things stand now, Jaylon Moore is the most likely candidate to fill in for the departed Jawaan Taylor. However, that's not necessarily an encouraging scenario. With that in mind, the Chiefs might target his replacement with one of their first-round picks.
Jaylon Moore Could be on His Way Out After the NFL Draft
Moore was a fill-in starter for the Chiefs when Simmons was out with an undisclosed family matter. However, he's by no means a full-time player. His Pro Football Focus overall grade of 63.1 ranked 56th among 89 eligible tackles, and his pass-block grade (57.2) was the 13th-worst in the league. Despite playing only 427 snaps, he allowed 27 pressures, including two QB hits and three sacks.
The Chiefs could target Francis Mauigoa or Spencer Fano with the No. 9 pick. That would give them a starting-caliber right tackle for the next decade-plus, even though there are some concerns about them being more suited to play guard. Either way, they're more than worth the shot.
If not, they can always shift their focus on other guys, like Blake Miller, Kadyn Proctor, Max Iheanachor or Monroe Freeling, although it sounds unlikely that the latter will be available at No. 29. Whatever the case, they have more than enough options to address this position for the long run.
Of course, keeping Moore as a rotational piece for any of the young tackles would make sense. That said, cutting ties with him would save this team $7.94 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap. That's too much money for a backup, especially with Wanya Morris and Esa Pole, who aren't much of a downgrade over Moore.
The Chiefs need to keep Mahomes out of harm's way, and investing big in the offensive line is the best way to do so. They can't afford to have him running into collapsed pockets or running for his life to extend plays on every dropback, especially since he may not be as mobile early in the season while he gets his legs back under him. That may not be the flashy or sexy pick, but it's definitely the right decision.
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