Chiefs Analysis: What to make of the two trades for offensive linemen

Munich, Germany - November 10: Joshua Ezeudu of New York Giants looks on during the NFL Munich Game 2024 between New York Giants and Carolina Panthers at Allianz Arena on November 10, 2024 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Mario Hommes/DeFodi Images via Getty Images) | DeFodi Images via Getty Images

The NFL season kicks off in two weeks, and the Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up the preseason on Friday night. Final moves to trim rosters from 90 players down to 53 are due at 5:00 p.m. Arrowhead time on Sunday, August 30th.

Late last week, the Chiefs traded for offensive lineman Joshua Ezeudu from the New York Giants in exchange for a 2028 7th-round pick. Ezeudu was present on the sideline Friday night in Kansas City, but did not dress.

Saturday afternoon, the Chiefs struck another deal to acquire offensive tackle Diego Pounds from the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for a 2028 conditional sixth-round pick.

Both moves come at an interesting time: the Chiefs have been looking to bulk up the depth of their offensive line, and Josh Simmons is seeking additional opinions on a back injury that has sidelined him in camp for close to two weeks.

Multiple factors may be at play in these trades, but let's take a look at Ezeudu and Pounds to figure out what they can bring to Kansas City.

Joshua Ezeudu

A former top-100 selection, Ezeudu has started ten games through his career at guard and tackle.

Josh Ezeudu LT

Quick out of his stance into his drive and catch; meets the edge at the bend point on the arc and washes him past the QB. Good pass set path and good quickness to get there. pic.twitter.com/axAyHFEqJE

- Caleb James (@CJScoobs) August 26, 2026

During the preseason, Ezeudu played the first week fully at tackle, but in the second week he slid inside to guard, which may be a more natural fit for him.

Good help snap from Ezeudu at RG. Helps the C secure the NT, and then, when the edge tries to swim inside, he closes the door and delivers contact. pic.twitter.com/WlVsX8UfvW

- Caleb James (@CJScoobs) August 30, 2026

At 6 feet 4 inches tall and 310 pounds, he is a bit undersized as a traditional guard, but his quickness off the snap and leverage help him to win by beating defenders before they can get a chance to get going.

At tackle, he struggled to anchor when edge rushers would line up wide and go from speed to power. At guard, he can use quick sets to take away the defenders' build-up, and this plays much better to his strengths.

Ezeudu with a physical set here. Delivers some force with his inside hand, drives his feet, and moves the 3-tech out of the pocket, and puts him on the ground. pic.twitter.com/qnVYpGirBs

- Caleb James (@CJScoobs) August 30, 2026

Although he did not live up to his draft status in New York, the Chiefs needed a player with live NFL experience at both tackle and guard.

Diego Pounds

An undrafted free agent, Pounds was a natural fit for Baltimore out of Ole Miss. At 6 feet 6 inches tall and 330 pounds, with solid athletic ability, he had the frame to develop into a road-grading run blocker and had the size and strength to excel as a jump setter in the passing game that Baltimore has historically used in their scheme.

Pounds gains depth and width with his first step. He aims well to reach the edge, and his hands and feet meet at the same time. Good fundamental blocking to help set up the zone run. pic.twitter.com/qgPlbQa5zn

- Caleb James (@CJScoobs) August 30, 2026

Despite his physical gifts, he was listed as a third stringer on the Ravens depth chart for most of camp and the preseason.

Pounds was solid in the preseason, but stuck in a deep unit, which would have made him a bubble candidate to make the Ravens' roster.

While his game needs work overall, he has natural mechanics in pass protection and a bulldog mentality that were bound to ensure that he would find an active roster spot- whether it was with Baltimore or not.

Pounds has a good drive off his inside foot to get into his pass pro set. Could stay more vertical initially, but he does a good job of using the outside hand to stab the edge rusher, then locks on and mirrors to end the play. pic.twitter.com/5Uwfm89inY

- Caleb James (@CJScoobs) August 30, 2026

It appears that the Chiefs were watching from afar, and, as they have many times in the past, the team is betting on a large man who can move in space.

Linemen who can move in space and land big blocks have tended to work out in KC. Pounds gets in space on the pin and pull and lays down a DB. The pin man didn't do a good job on 53. pic.twitter.com/WNfWf9NFk2

- Caleb James (@CJScoobs) August 30, 2026

Pounds has traits that cannot be taught, and his overall game is further along than many undrafted players at the same position.

Why make the moves?

Listed as day-to-day, starting left tackle Josh Simmons' current status is unclear, as he missed the second half of the preseason with a back injury. Speculation has swirled about the extent of his injury, and now the big question is whether the Chiefs made these moves expecting him to miss more time than they initially thought.

There is no clear answer, but in short: yes, and no.

If Simmons has to miss significant time, the Chiefs are in trouble. Adding as much depth as possible to prepare for the worst-case scenario could be in the cards, but it could also be an attempt to add overall depth to the roster.

A week ago, the trio of Jaylon Moore, Kahlil Benson, and Esa Pole struggled greatly against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers edge rushers. While they rebounded this week, the struggles against starting-caliber players for Tampa could have raised concerns.

It could also say something about the Chiefs' depth on the interior offensive line.

The Chiefs have lacked quality interior depth since Nick Allegretti departed for free agency after the 2023 season, and Mike Caliendo has filled in with mixed results over the past few seasons. The team has tried to let Hunter Nourzad take the reins, but it has not worked out. Benson took first-team snaps at right guard when Trey Smith missed time earlier in the preseason, and undrafted rookie Pete Nygra has also filled in with the second team.

Ezeudu will inject an immediate dose of interior experience and can slide to tackle as needed. Pounds only played left tackle at Ole Miss, and has only played tackle so far in the NFL, but with his frame and strength, he could be a prime candidate for the Chiefs to eventually work into guard.

The bottom line

The Chiefs brass has clearly not been satisfied with the quality of depth on the offensive line, and the front office has now made moves to ensure the offense has enough bodies to either prepare to be without their left tackle for some time or solidify the swing tackle and interior offensive line spots.

The room has suddenly gotten much more crowded with the roster cutdown deadline drawing near. This has likely dashed some players' hopes of making the roster and placed some players who might have been safe" on the bubble.

Ezeudu and Pounds will need to be brought up to speed quickly, but it seems they will both be a part of the plans for 2026.