Protecting your franchise quarterback is obviously non-negotiable. And when your quarterback is Patrick Mahomes, every decision on the offensive line reverberates with championship consequences. That’s what makes the Kansas City Chiefs’ riskiest move of the 2025 offseason so baffling. They traded away Joe Thuney, the bedrock of their offensive line and a two-time first-team All-Pro. As the Chiefs look to reload for a bounce-back Super Bowl run, they’ve done so by weakening the one area that burned them the most in their latest big-stage defeat—protection.
Bold Moves and Big Questions
The Chiefs’ 2025 offseason wasn’t short on headlines. Trading away Thuney to the Bears—one of the best interior linemen in football—kicked things off with a jolt. Thuney, who posted an 79.9 PFF grade last year, might have been 32 and entering a contract year. However, he remained elite at his position. In return, Kansas City got a fourth-round pick—hardly a blockbuster haul. To fill the void, they turned to Kingsley Suamataia, who struggled mightily at tackle as a rookie (37.9 PFF grade). He is now expected to play guard—despite little collegiate experience at the position.
Elsewhere, GM Brett Veach signed Jaylon Moore from San Francisco. He is a swing tackle with only 12 career starts. The Chiefs also paid him like a trusted starter. In addition, they used a first-round pick on Josh Simmons. He is a promising but currently injured tackle recovering from a torn patellar tendon. At least they retained some key pieces in Trey Smith and Nick Bolton. Also, and Rashee Rice’s return will help bolster the receiving corps. That said, the offensive line looks shaky at best—and suspect at worst.
Here we’ll try to look at the riskiest move that the the Kansas City Chiefs executed in the 2025 NFL offseason.
Trading Thuney: Risking the Foundation
The Thuney trade wasn’t just a cap-saving move; it was a full-blown gamble. For the second time in the Mahomes era, the Chiefs lost a Super Bowl because their offensive line was overwhelmed. After their 2020 defeat to the Buccaneers, Veach rebuilt the unit with Thuney, Orlando Brown Jr, Creed Humphrey, and Trey Smith. That group carried Mahomes through multiple deep playoff runs and two more rings. Breaking up that core—especially for a mid-round pick—invites regression.
Thuney was absolutely not perfect in the 2024 Super Bowl. This was especially true when forced into playing left tackle due to injuries. Still, he was a stellar guard. Let’s be clear: trading away a healthy, high-performing lineman who anchors your pass protection is not a move contending teams make. That’s unless they’re desperate or overly confident in unproven talent.
Unproven Replacements, Uncertain Results
Speaking of unproven talent, Jaylon Moore is slated to start at left tackle. He will protect Mahomes’ blind side. Moore has mainly been a backup with the 49ers and lacks high-level starting reps. He’s now being paid like a starting-caliber left tackle, with $21.2 million guaranteed. This could work out, of course. However, it’s a significant risk. Moore showed flashes but was frequently overwhelmed when isolated in pass protection last season. Expect opponents to send creative blitz packages and test him early.
Meanwhile, Suamataia will slide into Thuney’s old spot at left guard. Suamataia was benched just two games into his rookie season at left tackle after being bullied by Trey Hendrickson. He saw limited action afterward. Still, the Chiefs saw enough to believe in a position switch. That’s trusting Andy Reid’s offensive line expertise to the max.
Related Kansas City Chiefs NewsArticle continues below
And let’s not forget Josh Simmons. A first-round pick with a bright future, Simmons may not even play until later in the season. That’s due to his knee injury. Best-case scenario? He’s your long-term right tackle in 2026. Worst-case? You burned a premium pick on a redshirt rookie while Mahomes is in his prime.
Thin Margins
With Mahomes entering his 30s, the Chiefs are officially in their “maximize every year” phase. The quarterback alone can paper over a lot of holes, sure. However, there’s only so much magic he can conjure under duress. The Eagles reminded Kansas City how vulnerable Mahomes can look when his protection breaks down. Unlike 2021, when the Chiefs responded to a Super Bowl loss with a full offensive line overhaul, this year’s changes feel more like duct tape than steel reinforcement.
With Suamataia and Moore anchoring the left side, Kansas City’s offense will face pressure every week. If the line crumbles again, there’s no top-five defense to bail Mahomes out. The Chiefs are gambling that a Hall of Fame coach and a transcendent quarterback can make up for high-risk decisions in the trenches.
A Dangerous Bet That Could Backfire
Every team faces hard cap decisions, but this one could sting more than most. Trading Joe Thuney, a stabilizing presence with elite consistency, leaves a gaping hole—one that’s now being filled by a second-year player with limited snaps at guard and a journeyman tackle with an inflated contract. It’s not just about losing talent; it’s about shaking the confidence of a unit that once stood as the bedrock of multiple title runs.
Patrick Mahomes can do a lot. But he can’t throw touchdowns from his back. And in 2025, the riskiest move the Kansas City Chiefs made may very well be trusting a patchwork offensive line to keep the dynasty alive.
