The Kansas City Chiefs need to find a permanent solution to their right tackle problem and adding through the draft is the best way to do so.
The Kansas City Chiefs have a major problem that needs a permanent solution, but it probably won’t happen until the 2027 National Football League draft.
The Chiefs are coming off a brutal 6-11 season and looking to return to the state of dominance that fans are so used to seeing, so they made some roster changes in hopes of fixing the offense.
Adding running back Kenneth Walker III, who won the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award last season, should transform the running game and add tons of burst that it was desperately lacking.
Bringing in Walker adds another element to an offense that needs more production from each position group, especially the wide receivers; the receiving room was among the worst units in football in terms of dropped passes.
But the main area of concern for the Chiefs is shoring up the right tackle position. Veteran Jaylon Moore is likely to man the position, at least to start the year, although he hasn’t looked too impressive in preseason or training camp, while undrafted rookie lineman Kahlil Benson has impressed the coaching staff but may be better suited to play right guard instead.
Moore is great as a swing tackle, but Kansas City needs to upgrade at the position badly and not rely on Moore or an undrafted rookie to protect star quarterback Patrick Mahomes returning from a torn ACL.
It would be in the team’s best interest to draft the right tackle of the future in the upcoming draft to solidify what otherwise is a formidable offensive line.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid put together a way-too-early 2027 first-round mock and has the Chiefs drafting Iowa offensive tackle Trevor Lauck with the 26th pick.
“While [Lauck] doesn't have the same physical traits or movement skills of other top tackles in this class, he's a consistent presence,” Reid wrote Wednesday.
“Lauck plays left tackle at Iowa, but I believe he will transition to the right side in the NFL. Kansas City is searching for a long-term solution at that position after the Jawaan Taylor signing didn't work out, so Lauck could be a great fit.”
Lauck is elite in pass protection and has great footwork to accompany his quick hands. Although he plays left tackle in college, he would surely move to the right side with left tackle Josh Simmons manning Mahomes’ blind spot.
Being a starting lineman for Iowa is already a sign that he’s going to be playable from the jump in the NFL, but he does have some trouble as a run-blocker at times. That is coachable, though, and his work in pass-pro is what really matters.
