The Kansas City Chiefs are expected to let left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. hit the free agent market after declining to use the franchise tag at Tuesday’s deadline.
They don’t have another option to play the left tackle position currently on the roster, which means they’ll need to address the position. They’ll likely have some options to consider via trade and in the draft. They’ll also have options — albeit a scarce number of them — to consider during the upcoming free agency period.
With the legal tampering period coming on Monday and free agency soon to follow, we’re taking a look at three of those free agents and considering their fit with the Chiefs.
Bucs LT Donovan Smith
The Buccaneers released Smith on Tuesday, instantly making him the top veteran tackle on the Market. A former 2015 second-round pick by Tampa out of Penn State, Smith is considered a reliable and fairly-durable option at the left tackle position. During his first four seasons in the league, he didn’t miss a single game. This year, the soon-to-be 30-year-old left tackle is coming off of a down year, during which he struggled with an elbow injury. He appeared in just 14 games (including playoffs), which was the lowest mark in a single season of his career. He surrendered six sacks and 22 pressures according to Pro Football Focus, also matching his career high in penalties with 13.
There’s some belief that Smith wouldn’t quite be a fit given what the Chiefs need out of their left tackle with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback. That said, there are benefits to signing Smith. He was released, so the team can negotiate with him now and he won’t count toward the compensatory pick formula. There’s also the added benefit that he won a Super Bowl against Kansas City in Super Bowl LV and knows what it takes to win a championship.
Eagles LT Andre Dillard
A once-promising left tackle prospect out of Washington State, Dillard’s career has been tarnished by injuries. He appeared in 16 games as a rookie, including four starts. Dillard suffered a torn biceps in August 2020, missing the entire season. The following year, he’d lose a training camp battle with Jordan Mailata for the starting left tackle job. He started four games at left tackle in 2021 due to injury, but Mailata eventually regained the starting role and never gave it back.
The Eagles declined Dillard’s fifth-year option last year and now he’s set to get a shot elsewhere. There’s a lot of untapped potential here, but it really all boils down to whether the Chiefs feel that Dillard can stay healthy and truly be a long-term option. He’s only 27 years old, so he should be entering what is considered the prime of his career.
Titans LT Taylor Lewan
A former 2014 first-round pick by the Titans out of Michigan, Lewan has been a mainstay at left tackle for Tennessee for nearly a decade. The team is moving on after a season with availability issues. Lewan appeared in just one game at left tackle in 2022 due to a season-ending knee injury. The year prior, he started every game for the Titans, allowing just four sacks and 22 pressures on the season according to Pro Football Focus. The 31-year-old told media members he’d contemplate retirement after his release, so this is hardly a long-term solution for Kansas City. However, if they needed a veteran stop-gap, there is no option more experienced than Lewan.
Like Smith, Lewan was also released by his team. That again is appealing to Kansas City because they can start negotiations right away and he won’t count toward the compensatory pick formula. The team stands to lose several compensable free agents this season and earn draft picks in 2024 as a result.
