Kansas City’s offensive line got a fresh dose of disrespect heading into 2026, and Chiefs fans are already rolling their eyes.
Warren Sharp dropped his NFL offensive line rankings and slotted the Chiefs at No. 23, a placement that raised plenty of eyebrows given how much work Kansas City put into the group last offseason. Brett Veach attacked the unit by using a late first-round pick on Josh Simmons, bringing in Jaylon Moore in free agency, and extending right guard Trey Smith. In other words, the Chiefs made it clear they believed in building the front before the 2026 campaign.
Sharp didn’t offer any explanation with the post, which left fans to do the math themselves. The obvious guess is that the tackle spots are dragging the ranking down. Kansas City’s interior line is widely viewed as one of the best in the league, but Simmons and Moore remain the question marks on the edges.
The Chiefs don’t appear overly concerned, though others clearly are. Simmons had a rollercoaster rookie season, while Moore has not been a consistent starter. Still, there’s another side to that story: Simmons played well when he was healthy and active, and Moore is heading into a contract year.
Sharp’s list also brought a little extra salt for Chiefs fans because the Broncos landed at No. 1. Not long ago, Kansas City was the team beating up on Denver every time they met, but the reality now is that Denver’s line has become one of its biggest strengths and a major reason Bo Nix has been able to play well over his first two seasons.
The Chargers checked in at No. 8, which fits with their strength at both tackle spots. That said, last season showed how fast that can change when both starting tackles got banged up and missed time.
Kansas City at least wasn’t the lowest-rated AFC West line on the board. The Raiders came in at No. 25, two spots behind the Chiefs. Vegas was rough up front last year, though the team did work to improve the unit this offseason.
For now, the Chiefs are left with the ranking and the skepticism. They know what this offensive line can be. The rest of the league may have to wait a little longer to catch on.
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