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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Christian D'Andrea

The Chiefs stunningly replaced prized free agent Jawaan Taylor in the middle of a drive

This spring, the Kansas City Chiefs made a significant personnel change in front of Patrick Mahomes. Orlando Brown Jr. left in free agency. In his place came offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor, formerly of the Jacksonville Jaguars, on a four-year, $80 million contract that made him one of the highest paid blockers in the NFL.

The move hasn’t worked out the way the Chiefs have hoped. Taylor earned just a 52.7 grade from Pro Football Focus in the team’s Week 1 loss to the Detroit Lions. In Week 2, with a return to Jacksonville and a chance to show out against his old team on the line, Taylor was even worse. He racked up four penalties in fewer than three quarters — then wound up conspicuously absent from the game for Kansas City’s next drive.

Two holds, an illegal formation and a false start cost the Chiefs 28 yards in an important showdown with the reigning AFC South champions. While it’s not a certainty Taylor’s removal was a direct outcome of his play, the cause and effect makes sense. The prized right tackle was seen on the sideline talking with offensive line coach Andy Heck before returning to the game one drive later.

Whether his removal was punitive or simply a reset won’t be cleared up until head coach Andy Reid’s postgame press conference, but it didn’t go unnoticed. Fans, analysts and veterans shared their concerns and criticism, 10 days after Taylor ignited another football argument with his penchant for lining up on the border of the line of scrimmage and backfield in order to slow the Lions’ pass rush.

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