The Kansas City Chiefs will gather for training camp in just a little over a month.
They will have plenty of work to do as several new players and coaches get incorporated with the team. Some of that groundwork as already been laid following offseason OTAs and mandatory minicamp.
OT Kahlil Benson Named Kansas City Chiefs’ Most Surprising Player During 2026 Offseason
GettyChiefs OT Kahlil Benson
ESPN’s NFL Nation staff selected one player from each team who has made a surprising impact during offseason programs. Here is why Chiefs beat writer Nate Taylor chose Benson for Kansas City:
“While quarterback Patrick Mahomes continues to recover from his knee injury, the surprising player who has emerged the most is Benson, an undrafted rookie from Indiana who will be competing in training camp against veteran Jaylon Moore for the starting role. Benson shared repetitions with Moore during the Chiefs’ mandatory minicamp. With Benson’s rise up the depth chart, the Chiefs were comfortable earlier this month with trading Wanya Morris to the Atlanta Falcons.”
The Chiefs signed Benson after a successful tryout during rookie minicamp in early May. Benson took a redshirt in his freshman year at Indiana after tearing his ACL. After not making it onto the field in 2021, he finally got some playing time in 2022 — starting five games at right guard and getting some action on special teams.
Benson had a breakout year in 2023 after switching to right tackle, starting every game that season. He allowed just one sack on 424 passing attempts. Benson then transferred to Colorado in 2024, but it was an injury-riddled campaign. He transferred back to Indiana in 2025, and started every game at right tackle en route to a National Championship win.
Benson winning starting RT job could pay huge dividends for Chiefs
GettyChiefs OT Jaylon Moore
Benson is younger and far less expensive than Moore. Entering the final year of his contract with Kansas City, Moore is set to carry a $18,685,000 salary cap hit in 2026. Benson is under contract for the next three years for the Chiefs at a total of just $3,100,000.
If Benson can win the starting right tackle role, K.C. will have a quality player at the position for multiple years at an affordable cost. Not to be forgotten in the mix is second-year player Esa Pole, who flashed as a rookie at left tackle in 2026.
The emergence of Benson and Pole could make Moore expendable. The Chiefs can save nearly $8 million if they were to trade Moore. That is a significant chunk of change, and would allow them to address other needs throughout the roster such as wide receiver or defensive end. As Taylor alluded to, K.C. already dealt one veteran offensive tackle in Wanya Morris.
However, Benson and Pole will have to be convincingly good for the Chiefs to be comfortable trading Moore. With Mahomes coming off his knee injury, they may overcompensate along the offensive line to ensure he is well-protected. Moore did an admirable job in six starts last season in place of Josh Simmons at left tackle.
Chiefs’ Rookie Could Send Ripple Effect Throughout Roster