The Kansas City Chiefs are heading into this year’s draft with a few holes remaining on the roster.
The team is down nose tackle, Tershawn Wharton, who left to join the Carolina Panthers; safety, Justin Reid, who left for the New Orleans Saints; and guard Joe Thuney, who was traded to the Chicago Bears.
Yet, perhaps the biggest question mark remaining is at tackle, where the team bought in former 49ers‘ backup left tackle, Jaylon Moore, to become Patrick Mahomes‘ new blindside protector with a 2 year, $30 million deal signed last month.
Chad Reuter of NFL Network evidently has limited faith in the Chiefs’ current crop on the exterior of the offensive line, which is why he has labelled Aireontae Ersery as the “ideal” pick for the Chiefs in the first round of this year’s draft.
“The Chiefs’ inability to stop Philadelphia’s front four in the Super Bowl will likely force them to draft another tackle despite signing Jaylon Moore (who started 12 games in four years in San Francisco while playing behind Trent Williams),” Reuter writes, “To a sizeable two-year contract. Ersery’s 6-6, 331-pound frame is exactly what Andy Reid likes in his outside blockers.”
What Does The Chiefs’ Future Look Like At Tackle?
Thuney filled the LT role last season, however he is a more natural fit at guard, where his replacement, Mike Caliendo, continued to struggle.
With last year’s second round pick, Kingsley Suamataia, leading the race for the vacant left guard spot, Moore’s viability remains the biggest question mark on the offense going into the 2025 season.
Moore has started 12 games over the course of his career, including 5 last season in place of future Hall of Famer, Trent Williams. And has done so with impressive ability, generating an overall grade of 74.9 this past season.
However, we have seen players do well at that same position excel in reserve duty and then struggle as a full time, particularly after changing schemes.
Andre Dillard and Halapoulivaati Vaitai both signed big-ish money free agent deals after leaving the Philadelphia Eagles as backup left tackles who had played well when called upon. And subsequently both failed to hold down tackle positions at their respective next teams, the Titans and Lions, with the former – Dillard – getting cut after just one season.
Would Ersery Play Left Or Right Tackle For The Chiefs?
Ersery is a 3 year starter out of Minnesota at tackle, and with his enormous 6-6″, 331 lb frame, he could potentially slot in as the Chiefs’ blindside tackle of the future as a late first round pick.
However, some draft analysts dispute his positioning at the next level: Pro Football Network believes that Ersery is potentially more fit to occupy the right tackle position, which in Kansas City is currently held by Jawaan Taylor.
Moreover, despite his enormous build, Ersery’s arms only came in at around 33 1/8 inches, which is shorter than the normal 34 inch arms that the team normally prefer. General manager, Brett Veach, has never drafted a tackle with arms shorter than that set benchmark, and Ersery comes in at nearly a full inch under it.
With Taylor’s contract very cut-able in 2026, and Moore still very much an unknown quantity, it could well be that Andy Reid and Veach take a tackle like Ersery at 31, and slot him at whichever side is in need of an upgrade following the 2025 season. That is, if they can get over his arm length.
Daniel Arwas Daniel Arwas is a sports writer who covers the NFL for Heavy.com. Daniel began his career in sports writing in 2022 and has covered the NFL and college football for Gridiron Heroics and The Hammer. More about Daniel Arwas
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