Chiefs fans might want to learn this rookie’s name before camp starts

It's not uncommon for an undrafted free agent or two to slip through to the active roster in a given summer for the Kansas City Chiefs. This year, one of the best bets comes in the form of an offensive tackle who could help fill out the depth chart in Washington State offensive lineman Esa Pole.

Pole has earned some notice from the folks at Pro Football Focus as they made out their list of undrafted free agents to watch for the 2025 NFL season.

Pole brings a massive build and a nice recent body of work to the Chiefs as a priority free agent. Standing 6'7" and weighing 320 lbs., Pole enjoyed a mostly mistake-free season for the Cougars last season.

PFF loves the Chiefs' signing of an undrafted offensive tackle from Washington State.

"Pole didn’t allow a sack in 2024 and was called for just five penalties across the past two seasons — two areas where the Chiefs need to be better up front," wrote Ben Cooper of PFF.

The Chiefs thought highly enough of Pole's potential that they brought in him for one of their 30 allotted pre-draft visits before the 2025 draft. While he went unselected, K.C. got him to sign with the team on a rookie free agent deal and recently hosted him at the team's rookie minicamp from May 7-9.

Pole started 22 consecutive games for Washington State at left tackle after transferring in from Chabot College before the 2023 campaign.

The Chiefs now have an impressive amount of young tackles to bolster a position that's proven problematic—both for the short term and the long haul. Last year, the Chiefs asked four different players to start at left tackle, while Jawaan Taylor hasn't quite lived up to the massive free-agent deal he signed to man right tackle.

As the Chiefs look at their long-term options at both positions, they signed Jaylon Moore away from the San Francisco 49ers in free agency on a two-year deal. They followed that up by investing their first-round pick on Ohio State tackle Josh Simmons. Pole and Ethan Driskell are also around as developmental options to go with Kingsley Suamataia and Wanya Morris.