KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After four years in Jacksonville with four different head coaches and four different offenses, no one would blame offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor if he wanted a break from constant turnover.
That’s not how Taylor is wired, however, so it’s no surprise that once he had an opportunity to test free agency, he chose to sign with the Chiefs where he lands in a new city with new teammates and playing a brand new position.
“I’m used to embracing change,” Taylor said during his introductory press conference on Thursday.
One change Taylor gladly embraces is the contract that brings him to Kansas City. He inked a four-year deal on Thursday worth $80 million, with the $20 million average salary the fifth-most in the NFL for an offensive lineman. The deal also includes an $18.9 million signing bonus and $40 million guaranteed. An additional $20 million becomes guaranteed next March.
In his first four years in the league, Taylor earned just more than $9.3 million with the Jaguars.
The Chiefs awarded Taylor such a lavish payday because they want him as their new starting left tackle. His predecessor, Orlando Brown Jr., agreed to a free-agent deal with Cincinnati on Wednesday worth $64 million over the next four seasons. And like Brown, who was a right tackle by trade during his first three seasons with Baltimore, the Chiefs are asking Taylor to switch to the left end of the line in protecting the blindside of quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
No sweat, says Taylor.
“Left tackle, right tackle just a flip of the hips, honestly,” he said. “Other than that, if you’re athletic enough and you trust your feet, you got great coaching as well, which I know that’s here, I feel like the transition would be pretty good.”
Indeed, watching Brown make the switch gives inspiration to Taylor.
“He’s a great player with great feet as well,” Taylor said of Brown. “Very long, very versatile guy. So seeing guys like that be able to transition over, it’s amazing to see so it gives me a lot of courage and hope knowing I can do it too.”
Left tackle isn’t completely new to Taylor either. He last played the position during his sophomore season at Florida in 2017, an experience said was fun.
“At the time, we had a couple of injuries on the team and we had to move guys around in the line and they trusted me to go over there and play left tackle for the last two games of the season,” Taylor said. “So now I have the opportunity to play it again. I’m very, very excited for it and I’m embracing opportunity.”
Taylor has a firm goal to lineup at left tackle when the Chiefs’ full squad expects to start offseason workouts in early May.
“I should be ready to go by the time we report,” Taylor said.
The Chiefs are also betting that Taylor has room to further improve. The 6-foot-5, 312-pound Taylor has played more than 1,000 offensive snaps in his first four seasons, starting all 66 regular-season games of his NFL career. He achieved career-bests across the board last season allowing only five sacks, 11 hurries and 16 pressures. His projected ability to play on both sides of the line is prized by Chiefs general manager Brett Veach.
“Jawaan is a tough, athletic player that can play either side and gives us versatility along the line,” Veach said in a statement issued by the club. “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.”
Aside from learning a new position, Taylor will also be picking up his fifth offensive playbook in as many seasons. While it helps that his head coach in Jacksonville last season, Doug Pederson, runs a similar offense to Chiefs head coach Andy Reid’s system, that wasn’t the primary reason Taylor chose to come to Kansas City.
“Learning offenses is nothing new to me,” Taylor said. “I’ve learned a new offense every year since I’ve been in the NFL. That was the least of my worries. But the reason I chose (the Chiefs), I just feel like it was a great opportunity, chance to play under Coach Andy Reid and play with great players like Mahomes and (Travis) Kelce and other guys that’s on the team.”
He’s also already had a chance to talk with his new quarterback.
“(Mahomes is a) very great guy,” Taylor said. “I can tell already he’s a great leader, very laid back guy, so can’t wait to go out there and battle with him.”
He’s certainly familiar with Kansas City after facing the Chiefs three times in his NFL career, including two trips to Arrowhead Stadium in just more than four months. His last game with the Jaguars was in January in the AFC Divisional Round in the Chiefs’ 27-20 playoff victory. He says it’s only natural for NFL players – especially heading into free agency – considering what life might be like in the other club’s locker room.
“Just seeing the great teams in the league, you see the system they run, you know what team you will be fitted in better,” Taylor explained. “I feel like with this team I definitely will fit in and this scheme I will fit in because it’s similar to what I already was running. When opportunity presented itself I knew I was ready to go.”
If all those changes weren’t enough, this will also be the first time Taylor has moved outside Florida. Only 161 miles separate his hometown of Cocoa from Gainesville where he played collegiately. It’s just another 72 miles from there to Jacksonville for his NFL career.
Jacksonville to Kansas City? That 1,146-mile trek is a bit further from home.
“My whole 25 years I’ve always lived in Florida, went to college in Florida,” he said. “It’s definitely gonna be a different move for me, but I’m excited for it.”
During his first 24 hours in Kansas City, Taylor was enjoying himself. He said the Chiefs were welcoming and accommodating to him and his family.
“I love the town,” he said. “That’s the first thing, I love it. I’m a guy who’s laid back I don’t do much. I’m always at the house. So it’s definitely a place I can focus and just focus on ball.”
He’ll have at least one comfort from home in Missouri, however. He’ll wear No. 74, the same number he wore at Cocoa High School. And despite his adaptability in meshing with new coaches, cultures and schemes, part of Taylor clearly seeks stability. He has reason to believe he’s found that in Kansas City.
“Hopefully with coach Reid being here, I’ll be able to finally get comfortable in one offense and I won’t have to learn a new one again,” Taylor said. “Hopefully, it’s the last one I have to learn for a while.”
