The Kansas City Chiefs did not have the season many expected. With future Hall of Fame QB Patrick Mahomes going down to a torn ACL injury in Week 15, and overall roster struggles, this was not the Chiefs’ year.
Protection issues up front became a major concern, with Mahomes taking 34 sacks in just 14 games during the 2025 season. Now facing a pivotal offseason, one analyst predicts a significant move along the offensive line.
Chiefs Predicted To Cut 28-Year-Old Right Tackle
The Chiefs’ offensive line has fallen short of expectations in recent years, ranking 23rd in PFSN’s NFL Offensive Line Impact Metric in 2024, a season in which Mahomes was sacked a career-high 36 times in the regular season. Although the unit improved slightly to 19th this past year, protection issues continued to plague the offense.
Right tackle Jawaan Taylor has been a particular concern. He ranked 154th in the PFSN’s NFL Player OL Impact Metric, and frustration from fans mounted throughout the season. Now, ESPN analyst Aaron Schatz predicts Kansas City could move on from the 28-year-old.
“The Chiefs will cut Taylor, which would save them $20 million on the cap even if Taylor is cut before the June 1 mark. He was seventh in pass block win rate for tackles this season, but the Chiefs can’t live with his expensive contract or his predilection for earning penalties,” Schatz wrote.
Taylor joined Kansas City in 2023Â on a four-year, $80 million contract after spending the first four seasons of his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, his performances have been far from what his salary suggests, and he accumulated 10 penalties in just 12 games during the 2025 season, in addition to two false starts and four holding calls.
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Given his performance, it would not be surprising if the Chiefs ultimately decide to move on from him. He is entering the final year of his contract, and the financial implications make the decision far easier to justify. A pre-June 1 release would carry just $7,391,667 in dead cap while creating $20 million in cap savings, giving Kansas City meaningful flexibility as it looks to reshape the roster this offseason.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid agreed with Schatz’s projection that Taylor could be cut and pointed to Miami Hurricanes right tackle Francis Mauigoa as a potential first-round replacement in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Mauigoa is widely regarded as one of the most talented offensive linemen in college football. The American Samoa native earned consensus All-American honors in 2025 and has been an All-ACC performer in each of the past two seasons.
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His combination of anchor strength, precise hand placement, consistent pad level, and advanced spatial awareness has made him a standout prospect. Those traits, along with his experience against high-level competition, project him firmly as a first-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft and potentially an ideal long-term replacement at right tackle should Kansas City decide to move on.
