The Kansas City Chiefs took big steps to bolster Steve Spagnuolo’s defense. They didn’t waste time replacing Trent McDuffie with Mansoor Delane, and they added some much-needed firepower to their pass-rushing unit.

However, while that made perfect sense, their offense has been somewhat neglected. That’s especially the case with the offensive line, as they cut ties with the ever-struggling Jawaan Taylor, but they haven’t replaced him yet.

Considering the underwhelming set of options, general manager Brett Veach can’t afford to rest on his laurels. Instead, he should get former Detroit Lions left tackle Taylor Decker on the first plane to Missouri.

The Chiefs desperately need to sign Taylor Decker

Decker has been a slightly above-average blindside protector for years now. He may not be a long-term solution at left tackle, but he’d certainly be an upgrade over what the Chiefs have in that room right now.

Jaylon Moore gave up two QB hits and three sacks in 257 pass-blocking snaps last season. His Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grade (57.1) ranked 72nd among 89 eligible players at the position. Moore is a backup swing tackle, not a starting-caliber guy. The often criticized Wanya Morris has struggled mightily when given a chance, and Esa Pole is unproven.

Of course, they already have Josh Simmons to play left tackle, and moving a former first-round pick to the right, while doable, might not be the best for his development. He played right tackle in college, though.

Whatever the case, Decker would give this team a much-needed and battle-tested guy in the trenches, regardless of where they line him up. Spotrac projects his market value at a whopping $21.3 million per year, but given his age and past injuries, there’s no way anyone will give him that much money. The Chiefs can probably get him on a one or two-year deal worth roughly $25 million or $30 million total.

Pass protection has been a huge headache for the Chiefs for most of the Patrick Mahomes era. Decker is coming off the worst season of his career, posting a 69.5 PFF pass-blocking grade, but still an above-average number. Decker also gave up just two sacks in 551 pass-blocking snaps. He had never had a grade lower than 73.2 before last year, including four seasons with an 80-plus grade.

Mahomes is coming off suffering the first major injury of his career. Even if he’s back on the field for Week 1, which is a big ‘if,’ the Chiefs must make sure to keep him out of harm’s way, especially early in the campaign. They must protect their most valuable asset, and the right guy for the job is sitting right in front of them.