The Chiefs’ preseason loss to the Buccaneers did more than put another number in the standings. It left Kansas City with a messy question at right tackle, and the answer doesn’t look any clearer than it did before kickoff.
In the 16-15 defeat, the Chiefs rested most of their projected starters, but the battle up front got real for a pair of players trying to lock down Patrick Mahomes’ blindside help on the right side. Veteran Jaylon Moore and undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson both got their chances, and neither one separated from the pack.
Benson had been building momentum in training camp and looked like the favorite entering Saturday. Instead, his outing against Tampa Bay may have pushed him in a different direction for the regular season.
ESPN’s Nate Taylor was blunt about the performance: “Benson's performance Saturday, however, was quite disappointing,” Taylor wrote Saturday. “He struggled in pass protection, surrendering quick pressure to rookie Rueben Bain Jr. and a strip-sack to outside linebacker Anthony Nelson.
“At this point, the Chiefs likely move Benson to guard, where he played much better against the Los Angeles Rams last week.”
That’s not a great sign for a player who had looked like the cleanest answer at the spot. Benson finished with a 33.4 pass-block rating against Tampa Bay, and while preseason is exactly where teams want to sort out issues, the Chiefs still need a steadier showing in their final tune-up against the Seattle Seahawks.
Moore didn’t exactly grab the job either. The five-year veteran posted a 40.7 pass-block rating and, by Taylor’s account, didn’t show much in the way of quickness or anticipation. Still, Taylor noted that Moore may be Kansas City’s best option right now.
“Jaylon Moore, a five-year veteran, hasn't been impressive, either,” Taylor wrote. “But Moore is likely the Chiefs' most ideal option. The only other possibility is Esa Pole, a second-year player who took snaps Saturday at left tackle with the second-team offense.”
Pole turned in the best pass-blocking grade of the group at 41.4, but only by a slim margin. He remains a developing player, and a strong finish to the preseason could still put him in the mix for a role when the games count.
For now, the Chiefs are left with a problem they probably hoped to have solved by now. Instead, right tackle looks like one of the more unsettled spots on the roster heading into the regular season.
In Other News...
Chiefs Preseason Loss Put One Roster Battle Front And Center
The Chiefs preseason trip to Tampa Bay offered a little of everything, from encouraging defensive flashes to a finish that left the result hanging on one kick. Rookie defenders Mansoor Delane and R Mason Thomas both turned in promising plays, while Felix Anudike-Uzomah added a sack and multiple quarterback pressures as Kansas City kept itself in the game despite the 16-15 loss.
Harrison Butkers 69-yard field goal was the headline moment of the night, but his late go-ahead attempt missed and helped turn the final stretch into another reminder of how quickly roster evaluations can shift in August. For Kansas City, the game also put one battle front and center, with every snap and special-teams decision carrying extra weight as the roster picture starts to sharpen. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Roster Battle Just Got More Complicated After Buccaneers Test
The Chiefs preseason meeting with the Buccaneers added another layer to a roster fight that already had plenty of moving parts. Games like this tend to sharpen the edges of the competition, and Kansas City got a useful look at who helped their case and who left the coaching staff with more to sort through as cut-down decisions draw closer.
Harrison Butker again steadied things, while R Mason Thomas and Felix Anudike-Uzomah gave the front a push with performances that stood out in a game built around evaluation. On the other side, Jaylon Moore, Kahlil Benson and Justin Fields found themselves on the wrong end of the review, which is exactly the kind of uneven showing that can turn a simple preseason snapshot into a much more complicated depth chart puzzle. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Preseason Loss Still Put Two Young Offensive Names On Notice
With Patrick Mahomes, Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Trey Smith all sidelined while they recover from injuries, the Chiefs have spent their first two preseason games giving younger offensive players a longer look. It has been the kind of August stretch that can make or break roster battles, and two names have started to stand out in a meaningful way.
Emmett Johnson gave the offense a lift with a touchdown in the second preseason game against the Buccaneers, while second-year receiver Jalen Royals led Kansas City in receiving yards. Andy Reid liked what he saw from Royals, and both players are trying to position themselves as useful role pieces for the 2026 season, even if the preseason result itself did not go Kansas City's way. [Read more 🡒]