The Kansas City Chiefs are moving on from right tackle Jawaan Taylor.
According to multiple reports, the Chiefs plan to release Taylor before the start of the new league year if they cannot find a trade partner.
Taylor was scheduled to carry a $27.4 million cap hit for the 2026 season, according to Over the Cap. If no team absorbs his $19.5 million base salary, Kansas City will take on a $7.4 million dead cap charge while creating roughly $20 million in cap space. The move helps the Chiefs get under the salary cap ahead of the new league year.
Taylor’s departure closes a three-year chapter in Kansas City defined by durability, pass protection — and penalties.
Jawaan Taylor’s Penalty Issues With the Kansas City Chiefs
The early jump was never unique to him — plenty of elite tackles do it every single snap.
It was only a “problem” because he was wearing a Chiefs jersey. 🤔
Taylor signed a four-year, $80 million contract with the Chiefs in 2023 after four seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. At the time, general manager Brett Veach said in a team statement, “Jawaan is a tough, athletic player that can play either side and gives us versatility along the line. He has four years under his belt in this league and has continued to show steady growth and improvement each season. We’re happy to have him joining our offensive line room.”
The Chiefs kept Taylor at right tackle despite early speculation he could replace Orlando Brown at left tackle. In his first game with Kansas City, Taylor drew repeated illegal formation penalties for lining up improperly.
The issue became a recurring storyline.
Taylor led the NFL with 24 total penalties, 21 of which were accepted, in his debut season with Kansas City, according to Pro Football Focus. He committed six more penalties than the next-closest player. The trend continued. Taylor tied for the league lead with 19 penalties in 2024 and recorded 13 more in just 12 games in 2025, the third-most in the NFL that season.
Over 45 games with the Chiefs, Taylor committed 49 penalties, 41 of which were accepted. That total marked the most of any offensive lineman during that span.
Despite the penalties, Taylor provided value. He started 111 games over seven NFL seasons and remained available for most of his career. He played a key role on the offensive line during Kansas City’s Super Bowl-winning 2023 campaign, helping the franchise secure its second straight championship. However, his 2025 season ended early due to an elbow injury, and Pro Football Focus ranked him 80th among NFL tackles.
Chiefs Salary Cap Situation and Roster Moves
Due a $27.4M cap hit, Taylor’s absence creates breathing room.
Kansas City entered the 2026 offseason projected to be between $6 million and $8.6 million over the cap. Veach addressed the situation at the NFL Scouting Combine, saying, “These guys started for us, and they’ve played a lot of football for us. I don’t know if we’re six or seven (million) over, but I think we have 60 million in convertible contracts, too.”
The Chiefs could create additional space by releasing linebacker Drue Tranquill and tight end Noah Gray, while also restructuring contracts for Chris Jones and Creed Humphrey.
Jaylon Moore, who signed a two-year, $30 million deal, is expected to take over at right tackle.
Off the field, Taylor marked a personal milestone in September 2025 when he announced his engagement to fitness instructor Tiffany Hylton.
Hylton wrote on Instagram, “Yes 10000x 🥺❣️ Thank you Jesus for blessing us. May we honor you in all we do. To forever.” Taylor captioned his own post, “Every prayer answered in one yes. 💍 Thank you Jesus! #Engaged 🤍🥂.”
Taylor, 28, entered the NFL as a second-round pick in 2019 and leaves Kansas City with a Super Bowl ring and a statistically penalty-heavy tenure.
Jawaan Taylor’s Lasting Legacy With the Kansas City Chiefs Was an Overwhelming Amount of Penalties