The Kansas City Chiefs have had some of the best top end talent in the NFL over the past decade.
That obviously played a huge part in them going to five Super Bowls in six years, winning three. Kansas City built the core of its roster through the draft, but also signed several key free agents along the way.
The Chiefs have nine picks in the 2026 NFL Draft to retool their roster with following a disappointing 6-11 season in 2025. They also acquired multiple free agents who should make an immediate impact this upcoming season. Hopefully at least one of them will be as valuable as the huge signing Kansas City made in 2021.
Former Kansas City Chiefs LG Joe Thuney Named Among Best FA Values of Past Decade
GettyOL Joe Thuney
Bill Barnwell of ESPN recently examined the biggest free agent contracts that have been giving out around the NFL over the past decade-plus, and whether or not they were with it. Among them was the five-year, $80 million deal that the Chiefs gave Thuney during the 2021 offseason. Barwell labeled the deal as “spectacular.”
“Thuney was the fallback addition for the Chiefs when they missed out on Trent Williams, and while Williams was excellent in San Francisco, Thuney wasn’t far behind in Kansas City. While his tenure ended with the star guard playing out of position at left tackle for the Chiefs in the Super Bowl loss to the Eagles, Thuney was an ever-present and essential player on the interior of the Chiefs’ offensive line. He missed a total of two regular-season games (and two playoff games) over five seasons and was a first-team All-Pro three times before being dealt to the Bears for a fourth-round pick.”
It’s safe to say that Thuney was worth every penny. He was named an All-Pro three times during his tenure in Kansas City, and even started six games at left tackle in 2024 as the Chiefs were devastated by injuries at the position. Thuney was traded to the Chicago Bears last offseason for a 2026 fourth-round draft pick. He went on to win the NFL’s inaugural Protector of the Year in 2025.
Examining the Current State of the Chiefs’ Offensive Line
GettyChiefs LG Kingsley Suamataia
Trading a player the caliber of Thuney was risky, but it paid off. The Chiefs plugged in second-year man Kingsley Suamataia at left guard in place of Thuney, and he played well. Suamataia may never reach the heights of Thuney, but Kansas City got younger and cheaper at the position without a dramatic drop-off in performance.
The Chiefs have another young and exciting player at left tackle in Josh Simmons. Unfortunately, Simmons’ rookie year in 2025 was riddled with injuries and a personal matter, causing him to miss nine total games. However, Simmons played well when he was on the field, and there is still a lot of optimism that he will be Kansas City’s franchise left tackle.
Center Creed Humphrey and right guard Trey Smith are among the best players at their positions, and both are under contract with the Chiefs for multiple years. Right tackle is the only question mark along the offensive line heading into 2026. As of now, Jaylon Moore and Esa Pole could battle it out for the starting job. Kansas City also could bring in an outside free agent or draft a rookie to throw into the mix.
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