The Josh Simmons injury puts the Kansas City Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes in a tight spot heading into a Week 14 matchup with the Houston Texans, but in the NFL, adversity breeds opportunity, and fan favorite rookie Esa Pole and 2023 third-round pick Wanya Morris are both set up with a major opportunity down the stretch.
With Simmons expected to miss Week 14, and possibly much longer, swing tackle Jaylon Moore will be promoted to starting left tackle. That means either Morris or Pole would likely slide into the important swing tackle role going forward — assuming right tackle Jawaan Taylor is healthy enough to start.
And while Morris has the leg up in terms of experience, the Chiefs have hinted that Pole is gaining ground on the former draft pick in recent weeks.
“Esa Pole… was promoted by the team from the practice squad to the active roster, along with safety Mike Edwards, for the Thanksgiving Day game against the Dallas Cowboys,” Arrowhead Addict’s Matt Conner noted in Week 14. “With such a move came hopes for Pole that he might actually make his professional debut—a dream come true for any football player. As it turns out, Pole was left on the team’s inactive list despite the elevated status.”
Many around Chiefs Kingdom, including Conner, thought that Pole was being elevated to replace Morris as the swing tackle, being that he was a healthy scratch in Week 12. Although that didn’t end up being the case, his promotion displays that Kansas City is beginning to trust the undrafted rookie enough to dress him in an emergency scenario.
Considering Morris’ lack of development over the years, Pole’s emergence sets the stage for KC to potentially move on from the 2023 draft pick next offseason.
Chiefs Writer Makes the Case for Esa Pole to Unseat Wanya Morris in 2025 & Beyond
GettyKansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Wanya Morris.
As Conner continued with his article, he made the case for Pole to unseat Morris.
“With Pole’s elevation from the practice squad so late in the season, it shows that they view him as a player on the verge of making an impact,” Conner argued. “The warning sent to Morris still stands as he turns the corner toward a contract year in 2025. Pole is still knocking on the same door as before, even if he wasn’t activated in Week 13.”
“It’s also possible that the current injury conundrum at the position is going to give Pole even more momentum toward an active roster spot,” the KC writer went on. “Josh Simmons is sidelined with a wrist injury, and Jawaan Taylor suffered an ankle injury in Week 13 as well. Moore will be starting in place of Simmons until he’s back in the lineup, which means these extra tackle spots are suddenly far more important than before.”
Josh Simmons’ Injury Could Create High-Stakes OT Competition in KC
If Simmons is placed on the injured reserve, as some have reported might happen, it would open the door for Pole and Morris to compete for the swing tackle role.
This sort of high-stakes position battle with the Chiefs’ 2025 season on the line is the best sort of competition. After all, pressure makes diamonds, right?
This head-to-head would then bleed into the summer of 2026. Morris is on an affordable rookie contract, so there’s no reason to cut him before training camp, nor would there be for Pole.
And with Taylor profiling as a cap casualty — Chiefs could save $20 million in cap space if they release him at the start of the offseason — the two youngsters could be duking it out for the swing tackle job next year, too.
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