The Kansas City Chiefs will have a mandatory mini-camp from June 9th to the 11th, the final week of offseason practice before training camp in late July.
With quarterback Patrick Mahomes coming off an ACL injury, the Chiefs could be more reliant on the run game, especially with the addition of running back Kenneth Walker this offseason.
Walker is a high-level runner fresh off a Super Bowl MVP and a big season with the Seattle Seahawks. Adding him to the roster should bolster Kansas City’s offense with another
weapon, but the Chiefs’ offensive line must hold up its end of the bargain as well.
With a running back capable of game-breaking plays and a quarterback coming off a major knee injury, the Chiefs’ offensive line must have one of its best seasons of the Mahomes era.
The lineup
The starting five should look very familiar to last season, where every player made multiple starts.
At left tackle, Josh Simmons will look to build upon the flashes he showed as a rookie and hopefully put together a full season. Kingsley Sumataia will return for his second season as the team’s starting left guard, where he can hopefully build upon a solid 2025 season.
Creed Humphrey will return for his sixth season and look to add to his already decorated career that features three All-Pro selections and four Pro Bowl entries. Right guard, playing the role of enforcer, Trey Smith will also return for his sixth season with the team, and continue to solidify the Chiefs having one of the best interior offensive lines in the NFL.
Jaylon Moore started six games last season for Kansas City, and this season he is slated to be the starting right tackle.
Off the bench, the Chiefs will have Esa Pole and Wanya Morris competing for the swing tackle spot, with Mike Caliendo and Hunter Nourzad backing up the interior.
Expectations for Simmons
Simmons was brilliant in 2025 when he was on the field, but due to injuries and personal reasons, he played only eight games.
Expectations for Simmons this season will likely be centered on his durability, his ability to play left tackle for the entire season and proving that he can become the Chiefs’ long-term option on the blind side.
A high-level athlete, the flashes that he showed in 2025 should set the table for how the team plans to use him in 2026, and what he is capable of.
Expectations for Suamataia
After a tumultuous 2024 rookie season, which saw him benched as a tackle, Suamataia entered the 2025 season with a chip on his shoulder and with a new position. Starting all 17 games at left guard in 2025, he showed a solid transition to a more natural position that fits his build as well as play style.
The Simons clip gives us a quick view of what Suamataia brings to the interior of the line, rather than the edge.
The move inside allowed him to maximize his superior play strength, and by the end of the season, the strides he made in a short period bode well for his future in the NFL. The expectation for him in 2025 will be to continue to improve his fundamentals as a guard and start to hone in on a long future at the position.
Expectations for Humphrey
The most talented offensive linemen the Chiefs have had since the days of Will Shields at guard, Humphrey is on an astounding career arc, and will still only be 27 years old when the 2026 season kicks off. From the first start of his career, he has put forth the same consistently stout play, and he could be on his way to the Hall of Fame.
As the team looks to lean more into the run game with the acquisition of Walker, this will allow Humphrey to continue elevating his game and make his superb run blocking even more impactful.
The other reason is the large cap number that he will carry into the season.
Per Spotrac, Humphrey is slated to make $18 million in 2026, which will be the fifth-highest salary on the team. He has earned every bit of the contract he is playing on, but there will be added attention as the team relies on him more than ever this season.
Expectations for Smith
Since joining the Chiefs in 2021, Smith has been the offense’s enforcer and one of the most physical players in the NFL. His presence will be needed more so than ever before this year as the team will need to give Mahomes the best protection possible.
Set to be the third-highest-paid player on the roster this season, the Chiefs will need his best, and the expectation should be for this to be the season that Smith gets over the hump and can be named to his first All-Pro team.
Expectations for Moore
Moore filled in admirably last season, and with another year in the offense under his belt, he should flourish as the full-time starter at right tackle in 2026.
Set to be the team’s fifth-highest-paid player this season, Moore will be expected to continue to grow within the offense and provide more stability than the team has had over the past few seasons.
Moore is a good zone blocker and a technician in pass pro. The team will have a lot riding on him in 2026.
The bottom line
The Chiefs have invested in the offensive line, and for the team to find success this year, it has to pay off.
Simmons and Suamataia were both drafted with top-end selections, while Humphrey, Moore and Smith will be three of the top six highest-paid players on the roster this season.
The protection for Mahomes must be top-notch, and with how much the team has riding on Walker, this will increase the pressure on the offensive line as a whole.
Power football is back in the NFL, and it all starts up front.
