KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- When it comes to their offensive line, the Kansas City Chiefs could line up and play a game today, if necessary. And the line they use for that game might well be the one they really do use when the regular season begins in September.
Despite losing in recent days three offensive linemen who started at least seven games for them last season when Donald Stephenson and Jeff Allen left in free agency and Ben Grubbs was released, the Chiefs still have enough bodies to line up and play a game, and even withstand an injury or two.
Eric Fisher on the left side and Mitchell Schwartz on the right will start at tackle. Jah Reid, who was re-signed toward the end of last season, is the backup.
The Chiefs have two players who started some games for them, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and Zach Fulton, at guard. They also have Paul Fanaika, who will return after missing all of last season with an injury, and a handful of developmental prospects.
Mitch Morse, who started last season as a rookie, is the center.
The Chiefs consistently shuffled their offensive linemen last year in offseason practice, training camp and the preseason. That instability showed early in the season with a lot of inconsistent play. Quarterback Alex Smith was sacked 19 times in the season’s first four games.
Unless injuries force the Chiefs into some lineup changes in the offseason or during camp, the Chiefs have the ability this year to pick the best five early and let them work together. Maybe the result will be a quicker start than the Chiefs got off to last season.
