Forgotten Chiefs draft pick has a massive opportunity ahead of him in preseason Week 2 vs. Lions

As the Kansas City Chiefs get prepared for preseason Week 2 against the Detroit Lions on Saturday, August 17, no player has a bigger opportunity ahead of them than Lucas Niang.

A former third-round draft pick out of TCU in 2020, Niang hasn't exactly had a normal NFL career to this point. He came into the NFL as he recovered from a significant hip injury, and opted out of his rookie season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He'd return to action in 2021, where he'd start in nine games, including eight games at right tackle. In his ninth start in Week 17 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Niang suffered a season-ending patellar tendon injury. It's a notably tough injury for offensive linemen to come back from and Niang has spent the past two seasons slowly, but surely working his way back.

"We still have Lucas (Niang) who has every year come back better with that injury," Veach said in April.

By the end of the year in 2022, the team even entrusted Niang to come in during Super Bowl LVII against the Eagles for a play following the one where former Chiefs OT Andrew Wylie was declared as an eligible receiver.

Last year, however, Niang was essentially a ghost. He played 58 snaps on offense (5%) and 60 snaps on special teams (14%). As preseason Week 2 approaches, he has a chance to carve out a much larger role for 2024.

Lucas Niang is expected to start at right tackle against the Lions

With Wanya Morris dealing with a bone bruise and Jawaan Taylor dealing with a shoulder injury , Lucas Niang has been the player to fill in at right tackle on the starting offensive line during the final days of training camp. As things currently stand, Niang is expected to be the starter at right tackle for the team against the Lions on Saturday.

Chiefs OL coach Andy Heck spoke a bit about the opportunity ahead for Niang after training camp practice on Wednesday.

"Wanya (Morris) and Lucas (Niang) both have started games," he said. "They're capable of being starters. So, what is their role going to be? It has not yet been determined."

Niang's biggest issue over the past four years has been availability. The talent is certainly there, but many have noted before that it doesn't always look pretty. Former Chiefs OL Kyle Long once said this of Niang: "He's not a monet, but when he's right, he's money."

In preseason Week 1 against the Jaguars, Niang played 27 snaps at right tackle. According to Pro Football Focus , he allowed one quarterback hit during the game. He also earned a 75.1 run-blocking grade. No offensive linemen recorded a better grade as a run-blocker.

Niang will look to build off of that performance and showcase that he has what it takes to protect Patrick Mahomes and pave the way for Isiah Pacheco this season.

Related: Chiefs DT Chris Jones delivers epic speech at training camp in the season premiere of 'The Franchise'