New NFL Draft Rumors on Chiefs Trading Up, Andy Reid 'Hell-Bent' on Improving OL for Patrick Mahomes

The Kansas City Chiefs are a team to watch at the NFL draft, specifically if they try to address their need to upgrade at offensive tackle.

"There's a lot of buzz around the Chiefs, and people in the league don't know how real that is," The Ringer's Todd McShay said on his podcast Sunday (7:50 mark) "... I am told on really good authority that Andy Reid is hellbent on figuring out this offensive line and protecting [Patrick Mahomes]. I also know Brent Veach is controlling the board and looking at this and saying, 'Who could be here, there, and what if we get an edge-rusher there?' So those discussions are happening."

McShay also noted that there's "talk" of the Chiefs trading up to the No. 3 overall pick, though he wondered if they might try to get up to No. 5 to get ahead of the Cleveland Browns at No. 6, ostensibly to take the top offensive tackle on their board.

Moving up may be necessary, at least if the Chiefs want the first stab at grabbing an offensive tackle, though opinions vary on where the tackles might land.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., for instance, didn't have the first tackle off the board until pick No. 10 and had the Chiefs selecting Arizona State wideout Jordyn Tyson. NFL.com's Chad Reuter, on the other hand, believes the Giants will select offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa at No. 5, offensive tackle Monroe Freeling to the Cleveland Browns at No. 6 and projected the Chiefs to select edge-rusher Reuben Bain Jr. at No. 9.

Nobody truly knows what anybody will do, of course, but the Chiefs addressing the offensive line would hardly be shocking. Nothing is more important than keeping Mahomes upright. The Chiefs haven't found themselves with a top-10 pick in quite some time—if ever there was a year to address a vital position, it's now.