Kansas City Chiefs 2023 Roster Preview: Offensive Tackles Entering Training Camp

Kansas City is rolling the dice and banking on a new tackle duo of Donovan Smith and Jawaan Taylor to sustain a high level of play in 2023.

The play of the Kansas City Chiefs' offensive tackles, aside from when it mattered most against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII, was a very popular topic of discussion throughout the 2022-23 campaign.

At left tackle, Orlando Brown Jr. was tasked with making his case for a lucrative long-term contract extension in Kansas City instead of playing on the franchise tag in 2023. He was inconsistent over the course of the season, allowing the fourth-most pressures in pass protection according to Pro Football Focus. Across from him, Andrew Wylie was playing for long-term money as well but finished second among all tackles — above Brown — in pressures allowed. With that said, he did so on a cheaper salary and was much more worth the Chiefs' financial investment. 

Brown and Wylie are now playing for other teams, which caused the Chiefs to go in different directions at offensive tackle this offseason. Protecting quarterback Patrick Mahomes might be the single most important initiative the franchise goes through each season, and Kansas City is rolling the dice on two new tackles to lead the way moving forward. 

As 2023 Chiefs training camp comes into focus, Arrowhead Report will be previewing each of the team's position groups. This precedes a roster projection once training camp is in full swing, allowing for in-depth analysis and observations of the roster general manager Brett Veach has put together. The series continues with offensive tackle.

The starters: Donovan Smith and Jawaan Taylor

Earlier this offseason, it was expected that Taylor would make the transition from right tackle to left tackle in an attempt to follow in Brown's footsteps. For now, though, the plan appears to be to let him stick where he was very effective in 2022 for the Jacksonville Jaguars and allow May pickup Donovan Smith to step in on the left side. There's not a ton of concern about Taylor's ability to handle his own, but there's quite a bit surrounding whether Smith can bounce back from an injury-riddled and not-so-productive 2022 campaign. The Chiefs are putting a lot of faith in this duo, and only time will tell if Veach's call was the right one. 

The backups: Prince Tega Wanogho, Wanya Morris and Lucas Niang

Tega Wanogho, entering the final year of his contract before hitting restricted free agency in 2024, suited up for all 17 regular-season games last year and played 58 offensive snaps. He'll remain in the fold this year, as should Niang despite his struggles with consistency and health in the recent past. As a former third-round pick, Niang still has a lot left to prove and could serve as a solid depth piece at tackle. Morris, a third-rounder in his own right, got some work at both tackle spots during organized team activities (OTAs) and should make the roster this year as a rookie with a developmental arc in mind. All five of the aforementioned tackles are likely to make the team. 

The intriguing pieces: Sebastian Gutierrez, Chukwuebuka Jason Godrick

Gutierrez appeared in one regular-season game with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022 and turned 25 earlier in July. He was signed following a 2023 rookie minicamp stint in Kansas City. In the spring, it was announced that Godrick would be joining the Chiefs through the NFL's International Player Pathway (IPP) program. Either or both could end up on the practice squad, and Godrick being an IPP prospect grants the Chiefs an exemption they can use for him if they so choose. The next few weeks will be huge for both Gutierrez and Godrick as they look to build on what they've done this offseason.

Read More: Drue Tranquill Details Chiefs’ Free Agency Recruitment