The Kansas City Chiefs began training camp with a select few players out of the lineup. The trio of cornerback Kristian Fulton, tight end Tre Watson and right tackle Jawaan Taylor kicked things off on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, meaning they were being held out of practice.
Fortunately for the reigning conference champions, one of those players is back in the fold. With Sunday marking the club’s first practice day with pads on, Taylor joined his teammates at the Missouri Western State University facility in St. Joseph, MO.
Jawaan Taylor Back With Chiefs at Training Camp Practice
Nate Taylor of ESPN reports that Taylor joined the first-team offense for initial on-field reps.
It’s a relatively quick turnaround for Taylor, who was nursing a knee injury. The veteran right tackle played in 16 regular-season games a season ago, although he appeared on the injury report several times with a knee ailment. He played through the pain throughout the Chiefs’ run to Super Bowl LIX, later needing some time to work his way back into the swing of things. In all, however, he was out for less than a full week at training camp.
Taylor is entering year three of a four-year, $80 million contract he signed back in 2023. This is viewed as a huge year for him, as next offseason presents the franchise with an opportunity for cap savings. If the Chiefs cut Taylor, they’ll get $20M in relief. That comes with just under $7.4M in dead money, making it an intriguing possibility. That cost-benefit analysis could give general manager Brett Veach some added spending money.
With that in mind, it’s on Taylor to deliver a quality campaign and make that decision tough. Out of 140 qualified offensive tackles last year, he ranked 82nd in Pro Football Focus overall grade. That includes a No. 95 ranking in run blocking but a 48th slot for pass blocking (70.8 grade).
Penalties have been a major issue with Taylor. According to PFF, he was flagged 24 times in 2023-24 and 19 times last season. Nonetheless, he’s a very solid tackle who adds depth and a reliable floor back to the rotation. How the Chiefs divvy up reps with him returning will be worth monitoring.
Assessing Kansas City’s Offensive Line Picture as Camp Continues
Speaking of which, Kansas City has primarily fielded free agent signing Jaylon Moore at right tackle in Taylor’s absence. Not only does that cross-train the veteran pickup, but it gave rookie Josh Simmons more reps on the left side. Simmons, the Chiefs’ first-round NFL Draft pick, is generating a ton of buzz this offseason. It remains to be seen how the workloads will now be split by head coach Andy Reid and offensive line coach Andy Heck.
On the interior of the offensive line, the Chiefs have two consistent pieces and one major question mark. At right guard, Trey Smith is back on a hefty four-year contract extension. While he’s still a feel-good story along the line, the pressure is now on for him to live up to his Pro Bowl reputation. Center Creed Humphrey is widely regarded as the best in the sport, which plays to Kansas City’s benefit.
Left guard is where things get interesting. 2024 NFL Draft pick Kingsley Suamataia is the favorite to start now that Joe Thuney is no longer in town. With that said, Suamataia struggled at tackle in 2024 and is unproven at guard. Should he struggle, veteran Mike Caliendo very well could replace him. The Chiefs want him to succeed, though, and plan to give him the first crack at premium reps.
Taylor working his way back does complicate the math, but it’s a good problem to have if you’re the Chiefs.
