The Kansas City Chiefs have once again secured the Super Bowl title, marking back-to-back championships and three victories in the last five years. Undoubtedly, they currently hold the status of the team to beat in the NFL. Nevertheless, this success comes with a price, as they now bear the target of their competitors, reminiscent of how the New England Patriots and Tom Brady experienced a significant gap between their third and fourth Super Bowl victories.
To maintain their dominance in the NFL, the Chiefs must constantly seek ways to enhance their roster, especially considering the competition from the other 31 teams in the league. A critical area that warrants improvement is the offensive line, specifically at the tackle position. While interior linemen like Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey, and Nick Allegretti excelled, tackles Donovan Smith and Jawaan Taylor delivered performances that were at best average. Notably, Smith received lower PFF blocking grades than any other starting lineman for the Chiefs.
In the quest to fortify their offensive line and safeguard Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs should consider replacing Donovan Smith, who, despite a commendable performance during the Super Bowl victory, will be entering his thirties in 2024. Smith allowed 53 total pressures in 2023, marking the third-highest in his career. This decline in performance may prompt the Chiefs to let Smith go in free agency, given their $23 million cap space in 2024 and the desire to avoid allocating a substantial portion to one player.
An enticing option for the Chiefs could be pursuing soon-to-be free agent Yosh Nijman, the Green Bay Packers’ swing tackle. Nijman’s reduced playing time in 2023 was not indicative of his skills but rather a result of the Packers prioritizing their young talents. Having excelled when thrust into a challenging situation in 2021, filling in for injured All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari, Nijman showcased his abilities by allowing 20 pressures in 590 snaps. In 2022, he seamlessly transitioned to right tackle, demonstrating versatility by playing 200 snaps at left tackle and 555 at right tackle, with a PFF pass-blocking grade of 74.4.
Now, with Nijman set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2024, the Chiefs, with their history of success and Nijman’s proficiency in both tackle positions, should consider pursuing him as a valuable addition to their roster.
