Mina Kimes: Chiefs’ Offensive Line Is Biggest Concern This Season

Recently joining the Rich Eisen Show, ESPN analyst Mina Kimes singled out the one thing she could see holding the Chiefs back in 2023.

As the NFL's reigning Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs don't have a ton of red flags as the 2023 season commences. Patrick Mahomes and company have a solid cast of supporting pieces on both sides of the ball, and both veterans and young players alike should play a role in the club's success over the next several months.

With that said, there are some new pieces that will be put to the test early and often this year. The offensive line features two of them, with Mahomes's bookend protectors being thrust into the spotlight.

Jawaan Taylor, coming over from the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency, was signed to a hefty four-year contract back in March. The 25-year-old is an athletic and (seemingly) ascending right tackle who initially was believed to be the Chiefs' left tackle for 2023. Once longtime Tampa Bay Buccaneer Donovan Smith entered the fold, however, the team's plans crystalized. Smith, the team's oldest starting lineman on either side of the ball at age 30, has the most questions surrounding him.

Appearing on a recent episode of the Rich Eisen Show, Mina Kimes of ESPN was posed with deciding what element of this year's Chiefs team could give them the most trouble. Rather than choosing something on defense or even the wide receiver corps, Kimes picked the offensive line and singled out the uncertainty with Smith. Here's some of what she had to say: 

"The offensive line changes is the second answer that I would give. This is an offensive line that has some change with Donovan Smith coming over at left tackle from Tampa. [He] struggled last year, I think he was the most penalized left tackle in football if I remember correctly. Very different stylistically from playing with Tom Brady where that ball was coming out quickly. You've got to pass-protect longer, obviously, with Patrick Mahomes."

The point Kimes makes about Smith's 2022 is a fair one. Playing in 13 games, he posted the worst Pro Football Focus offensive grade of his career and also struggled immensely in run blocking (41.5 grade). He got penalized 12 times in just over 900 snaps on the left side of the line, routinely putting himself in difficult positions as injuries factored into his play. It's worthwhile to question whether he's capable of returning to form this season — Kimes said back in June that she believes he possibly can — and she doubled down on that sentiment to Eisen while also remaining cautiously optimistic: 

"Now I will say there are things that will help him. I think the interior of the Chiefs' offensive line is one of the best in the NFL, and Mahomes does not take a lot of sacks despite holding on to the football. So he (Smith) could have a bounce-back year but as you know all too well, the only thing we have seen slow Patrick Mahomes over the course of his NFL career has been a lack of pass protection, famously in the Super Bowl. Frankly, I don't really care who's catching the football in Kansas City. All I care [about] is that the offensive line doesn't take a step back."

Smith doesn't have to be anywhere near perfect in order for his 2023 salary to be worthwhile. After all, left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. was inconsistent last season and also surrendered a ton of quarterback pressures relative to his peers. On the opposite side, Andrew Wylie found himself in the same boat and Taylor has the upside of a potentially significant upgrade. The interior of the line is stellar and Mahomes can cover up for some deficiencies, so the tackle spot isn't a slam-dunk culprit for this year. If Smith repeats his 2022, though, things could become a heck of a lot harder on the top signal-caller in the sport. 

Read More: Three Important Questions for the Chiefs Entering 2023 Season