KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- That’s now four regular offensive linemen that the Kansas City Chiefs have watched walk out the free-agent door in the past two years. Tackle Branden Albert, who left last year, and center Rodney Hudson this year are premium players at their respective positions. Guards Geoff Schwartz and Jon Asamoah, who both left in 2014, are certainly good players.

Notice the pattern here? So far, at least, the Chiefs aren’t paying their offensive linemen as other teams are willing to do.

Maybe that makes sense. The Chiefs are probably better off sinking their dollars into Justin Houston, Jeremy Maclin and Alex Smith instead of offensive linemen.

If that’s the philosophy, the Chiefs have to hit the offensive line hard in the draft most years, but particularly this year. The Chiefs are expecting to have 11 draft selections, the four extras coming as compensatory picks for net losses in free agency last year.

The Chiefs have done this in their two drafts so far that have been run by general manager John Dorsey. They drafted two offensive linemen in 2013 (tackle Eric Fisher in the first round and center Eric Kush in the sixth) and two more last year (guards Zach Fulton and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, both in the sixth round).

The Chiefs need at least two more rookie offensive linemen this year. They could, if they so choose, enter the 2015 season with an offensive line consisting of players they drafted and have under contract through this year: Fisher and Donald Stephenson at tackle, Fulton and Jeff Allen at guard, and Kush at center.

But the Chiefs still would be woefully thin on the bench. The contracts of Allen and Stephenson are up at the end of the 2015 season, and given Kansas City’s recent history with offensive linemen, it’s not wise to count on them playing for the Chiefs in 2016.

The Chiefs could sign some veteran offensive linemen to fill the void, but again, Dorsey hasn’t been willing to do that to any great extent. The Chiefs signed Schwartz in 2013 and Mike McGlynn, Jeff Linkenbach and Ryan Harris last year. Each came on a one-year contract.

So the Chiefs would be wise to get some linemen into their system who could be ready to start in 2016, if not sooner. The way things are going, the Chiefs probably will need them.