Chiefs make necessary decision with RT Jawaan Taylor — and it puts heat on one of Kansas City’s longest-tenured coaches

A somewhat expected move from the Kansas City Chiefs to clear salary cap space ahead of the 2026 NFL free agency period.

Charles Goldman — NFL Managing Editor
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The Kansas City Chiefs have made a decision that will help them clear salary cap space.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Chiefs have informed RT Jawaan Taylor that he will be released or traded before the start of the new league year after three seasons in Kansas City. Taylor signed a four-year contract worth $80 milllion back in 2023, becoming a Super Bowl champion in his first season with the team. Taylor’s cap hit for the 2026 NFL season was set to be $27.3 million, the third-highest on the team behind Chris Jones and Patrick Mahomes. Releasing him will save $20 million against the salary cap with only $7.3 million in dead money.

Beyond the salary cap savings, this move was necessary given Taylor’s injury history. The 29-year-old played through a knee injury in 2024 that required constant draining and offseason surgery. He finished the 2025 NFL season on injured reserve due to lingering triceps and ankle injuries. There was also the constant inability to avoid pre-snap penalties after Cris Collinsworth’s in-game crusade against Taylor back in 2023.

As necessary as this move was, it now creates a hole at the starting right tackle position and puts pressure on one of the team’s longest-tenured coaches to find a solution.

Chiefs OL coach Andy Heck is under the gun to find Jawaan Taylor’s replacement

Andy Heck has served as the offensive line coach in Kansas City since Andy Reid’s inaugural season in 2013. He’s well-regarded internally, but he’ll face perhaps his biggest test yet in navigating the post-Jawaan Taylor right tackle.

The Chiefs aren’t exactly short on options at offensive tackle. Josh Simmons is slated to play left tackle for the team, but they’ve got six other offensive tackles under contract. The team has invested a lot in that position group, and they need to see some return on investment in development from some of the team’s young players.

Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive tackles under contract for 2026

  • Josh Simmons
  • Jaylon Moore
  • Wanya Morris
  • Esa Pole
  • Chu Godrick
  • Ethan Driskell
  • Matt Waletzko

Jaylon Moore makes the most sense as the starter at right tackle in 2026, given the financial investment the team made in Moore a season ago. That said, his snaps at right tackle in 2025 left something more to be desired.

Wanya Morris always felt like a better fit at right tackle, but he’s seldom played that spot in Kansas City. Esa Pole and Chu Godrick got some valuable experience in 2025, but can either of them take a step forward during the 2026 NFL offseason?

The two wild-card options are Ethan Driskell and Matt Waletzko. A former 2024 undrafted free agent out of Marshall, Driskell had an appendectomy during training camp and the preseason, which led to him missing the entire season. He’s someone the Chiefs were high enough on to keep on the 53-man roster in 2024, so there’s definitely some potential heading into Year 3. As for Waletzko, he joined the team’s practice squad late in the season before being promoted to the 53-man roster due to injuries. He never really hit his stride with the Dallas Cowboys due to injury, but he definitely has the tools to make an impact if he remains healthy.

Heck has a lot of options; now it’s all about coaching the guys up and finding the best starting five, along with the players who will play key depth roles in 2026 and beyond.

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