The Kansas City Chiefs have a tough decision to make when it comes to the team's offensive line and upcoming contract decisions. It does seem just a matter of time until the Chiefs are willing to give in and pay guard Trey Smith. Kansas City has safeguarded enough cap space to safely make the move.
There also isn't any question that it is the only way forward, with the lack of protection being the biggest factor in how the Kansas City 2025 season ended. Patrick Mahomes needs more stability from the unit, not only to continue to further the Chiefs' dominance but to continue his chase of history.
Kingsley Suamataia and Mike Caliendo remain the biggest question marks on the unit, with both in competition for the left guard spot. Neither has given reason for much hope that the position is going to be one of the team's more stable spots on the depth chart.
This was exposed with Smith skipping OTAs as he continued to seek a new deal. It gave further reason for fans to believe Kingsley is a rare bust for a stellar front office. Despite the move to guard, the sloppy technique and lack of needed power are consistently going to be exposed if moved into the starting lineup.
Chiefs Should Continue to Search For Offensive Line Upgrades
With this in mind, Kansas City should begin to consider searching for upgrades. While free agency has very limited options at this point in the offseason, it is hard to believe an upgrade couldn't be found on the trade market. If the competition at left guard doesn't improve over the summer, the Chiefs should at least explore possible upgrades.
If Rashee Rice is able to return, the offense has the needed tools to be among the league's better units if they can keep Mahomes upright. From what the current two options at left guard have shown, this may be more difficult than anticipated.
As the team continues to establish a ceiling of the AFC Championship and having won two of the last three Super Bowls, it is paramount that the front office continues to search for every possible upgrade. This includes an offensive line that tops the list when ranking the team's concerns heading into the summer.