The Kansas City Chiefs‘ offensive line was banged up during the 2025 season, with multiple injuries piling up. And while the team has several needs heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, the focus also shifts to how Andy Reid and Brett Veach plan to strengthen protection for Patrick Mahomes, who is currently working his way back from an ACL injury. Todd McShay of The Ringer just shared his thoughts on that.
“I am told, again on really good authority, Andy Reid is hell-bent … on figuring out this offensive line and protecting a quarterback who is the epicenter of everything that is success,” McShay said.
Todd McShay on his “What he’s hearing show” tonight about the #Chiefs
– Chiefs have talked to the Cardinals but it seems preliminary nothing more
-“Andy Reid is hell bent on figuring out this offensive line” pic.twitter.com/ca18wRieQX
— Price Carter (@priceacarter) April 20, 2026
The Chiefs hold the No. 9 and No. 29 picks in the first round of this week’s draft. Most projections link them to edge rushers, with prospects like Arvell Reese and David Bailey in the mix. But given the circumstances, it’s not hard to see why McShay believes the focus could shift toward the offensive line.
Last season, injuries kept stacking up. Starting left tackle Josh Simmons suffered a wrist dislocation and fracture in Week 13 against the Dallas Cowboys. In that same game, RT Jawaan Taylor went down with a triceps injury and missed the rest of the season. Trey Smith also battled an ankle issue for much of the year and ended up missing five games.
Then, in Week 14 against the Houston Texans, Wanya Morris stepped in for Simmons. However, he went down with a knee injury that ruled him out for the remainder of the season. At that point, the depth was gone, and the problem was clear.
That context explains why reinforcing the offensive line has become a priority. According to McShay and co-host Steve Muench, the targets could be Utah’s Spencer Fano or Miami’s Francis Mauigoa.
Fano graded out as Pro Football Focus’s sixth-highest tackle among players with at least 800 snaps in 2025. He allowed just five pressures and zero sacks last season. And across three years as a starter at Utah, he has given up only three sacks.
Mauigoa, meanwhile, enters the draft with 15 total pressures allowed, including nine hurries, four quarterback hits, and two sacks. He logged 1,034 offensive snaps and added 73 more on special teams.
Both are viewed among the top tackles in this class. The need is clear, the options are there, and with Mahomes coming off a major injury, the real question now is how the Chiefs choose to address protection at the top of the draft.
Andy Reid’s Chiefs are in talks with an NFC rival to trade up
Todd McShay’s report about Andy Reid prioritizing protection for Patrick Mahomes comes on the back of another development. The Chiefs have been in talks with the Arizona Cardinals about a potential move up to the No. 3 pick.
That report was first surfaced by PHNX’s Johnny Venerable. And given the Cardinals’ roster needs, it’s not hard to see why general manager Monti Ossenfort could be open to moving down.
“When you start looking at trading back for accumulating picks, I think one thing that you really have to talk about is (that) if we trade back, what is the premium that we’re getting paid to move back?” Ossenfort said. “Then if we do indeed move back, who’s going to be available to pick when we move back to that spot? So, what you have to consider is the value of what you’re giving up to move back, is that at a big enough level? If it is great. That answers one question.
“Then I think the other part of that is if we drop back, are we going to be comfortable taking the player that is there? And that’s guesswork. I have no idea. Like when we dropped back a couple of years ago from three to 12, we had to be prepared to take the 12th player on our board because who knows where we were going to end up. I think a lot goes into those picks.”
He suffered a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee against the Los Angeles Chargers. While he has remained optimistic about being ready for Week 1, the need for better protection is hard to ignore. Whether the Chiefs address that by targeting an offensive lineman or pivot toward a pass rusher in the first round is something that will unfold soon enough.
