Was Trading Thuney the Right Move for the Chiefs?

The biggest reason why the Kansas City Chiefs lost both Super Bowl LIX to the Philadelphia Eagles and Super Bowl LV to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was the lack of an offensive line. Struggles with protection up front prevented QB Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid from sufficiently setting up the plays they wanted, as Mahomes was getting no time in the pocket.

Sports Illustrated's Gilberto Manzano drew to this subject when discussing what the Chiefs needed to fix before the 2025 season:

"[Andy] Reid was outcoached by Eagles coach Nick Sirianni and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio in the Super Bowl," said Manzano. "There were no adjustments made for slowing Philly’s four-man pass rush, making it clear to the front office that changes were needed on the offensive line."

Although the Chiefs drafted tackle Josh Simmons in the first round (32nd overall), brought in San Francisco 49ers tackle Jaylon Moore in free agency, and managed to franchise tag guard Trey Smith, the Chiefs still lost a key piece to their line: long-time veteran guard Joe Thuney when they traded him to the Chicago Bears for a 2026 4th-round pick.

"The team made the bold decision to part with Thuney, one of the best guards of the past decade," Manzano continued. "The Chiefs have a reputation for moving on from players a year early rather than a year too late, a method that has helped them sustain long-term success, including the trades of Tyreek Hill and L’Jarius Sneed. 

"For the gamble to pay off, the Chiefs will need guard Mike Caliendo and Moore, the new left tackle, to be serviceable full-time starters. Caliendo filled in late last season when Thuney moved to left tackle. Moore showed flashes of being a gem in the opportunities he got while filling in for Trent Williams in San Francisco, but he’s never started more than five games in a season.

"There’s also the inconsistent play of right tackle Jawaan Taylor, but the team added depth at tackle with the first-round selection of Simmons, who’s working his way back from a torn patellar tendon in his knee."

Plenty of players will have to do their part for this move to be worth it, but the question is, who will end up rising above the rest and exceeding expectations?

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