Six months ago, Esa Pole looked like a rising piece of the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive line plan. Now, he’s fighting for his spot.
The second-year tackle has gone from fan favorite to roster-bubble question mark in a hurry, and the Chiefs’ recent moves have only made the picture murkier. With roster cuts looming, Kansas City has already traded for two backup offensive linemen who can help at tackle, a clear sign that the team is uneasy about its second-string depth.
Former Baltimore Ravens lineman Diego Pounds is viewed as a tackle option, while former New York Giants lineman Joshua Ezeudu is more likely to work inside. Either way, the message is plain: holdover linemen have reason to worry.
Pole is one of them.
Not long ago, he had a straightforward path to a role. When the Chiefs moved on from Jawaan Taylor for salary cap relief before free agency, the assumption was that veteran Jaylon Moore would battle Pole for the right tackle job. Josh Simmons was back on the left side, and those three were expected to form the team’s tackle group going forward.
Pole’s own path to this point has been unusual. He arrived in Kansas City as a priority free agent out of Washington State after going undrafted in 2025.
He impressed in the preseason, but the Chiefs couldn’t keep him on the practice squad because the New York Jets claimed him. New York eventually cut him in October, and Kansas City brought him back.
Pole made his debut in early December, then injuries pushed him into a starting job for four games.
Even with uneven play late in the year, there was still plenty of buzz around him heading into the offseason. A full spring and summer seemed like the chance for Pole to take another step.
Instead, his name barely came up during OTAs, mandatory minicamp, or training camp. Rookie free agent Kahlil Benson was the player rotating in with Jaylon Moore.
The numbers from camp don’t exactly clear things up. Pole finished with 151 snaps, tied for second-most on the team with interior lineman Hunter Nourzad and trailing only Pete Nygra’s 182. But that kind of usage can cut both ways, especially when it comes late in games and leaves a player exposed on the bubble.
And the roster math is getting crowded fast. With Simmons, Moore, Benson, and Pounds already in the mix, the Chiefs have four offensive tackles on the roster before even considering interior linemen who could kick outside if needed, such as Ezeudu or Mike Caliendo, if he makes the roster.
That leaves Pole in a very different spot than the one he seemed headed for just months ago. What once looked like a secure path to the roster has turned into a genuine fight just to stay in Kansas City.
In Other News...
Chiefs Practice Squad Battle Could Get Interesting Behind The 53
With Kansas Citys 53-man roster now set, the next layer of roster building is where things can get a little more revealing. The Chiefs are expected to sort through a practice squad mix shaped by preseason performance, past experience and the teams own depth needs, with up to 16 players available to stick around behind the active roster.
There is also some built-in flexibility in how the Chiefs can fill those spots, including room for six veterans and an extra opening through the International Player Pathway exemption. For a team that has made a habit of finding useful depth in unexpected places, the battle for those final practice squad jobs could end up being more interesting than it first appears. [Read more 🡒]
Former Chiefs Suddenly Face A Harsh Reality After Roster Cuts
Roster cuts always hit a little harder at this point on the calendar, and for a handful of former Chiefs, the reality is now set in. As NFL teams trimmed down to 53 players, familiar names from recent Kansas City seasons found themselves on the move, from Khalen Saunders and Carson Steele to Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Shane Buechele, Wanya Morris, Baylor Cupp, Mecole Hardman and Bailey Zappe. For Chiefs fans, it is another reminder of how quickly a roster can change, especially for players whose time in Kansas City once looked like part of a longer run.
Some of those players could still surface again in one form or another, whether on a practice squad or with another opportunity elsewhere, but the immediate picture is far less certain. The most notable part of this round of moves is not just who was cut, but how many former Chiefs are now waiting to see whether a familiar door opens again, or whether this is the point where a new path finally takes over. [Read more 🡒]
Former Chiefs Are Already Catching On Elsewhere After Cut-Down Day
The NFLs roster churn after cut-down day has already sent a familiar handful of former Chiefs looking for new homes, and several of them landed quickly. Emari Demercado was claimed by the Cowboys, Chu Godrick was claimed by the Dolphins, and Malik Herring also signed with Miami, while Esa Pole headed to the Commanders practice squad and Melvin Smith Jr. found a spot with the Titans.
Dallas and Miami, in particular, wasted little time adding depth pieces with Kansas City ties, and the Cowboys also brought in Wanya Morris on their practice squad. Jake Haener joined the Giants taxi squad as part of the same wave of post-cut roster movement, a reminder that even after final cuts, there is still plenty of NFL business left for players trying to stick somewhere new. [Read more 🡒]