Patrick Mahomes is back in the conversation for Week 1, but the questions around the Chiefs’ protection are getting louder.
The Kansas City quarterback is entering his 10th season with the franchise after what the source describes as a remarkable recovery from offseason knee surgery, and he is reportedly set to play against the Denver Broncos later this month. Still, there’s uncertainty on the edge of the offensive line, where left tackle Josh Simmons could be unavailable for the opener while he works back from a back injury.
That possibility has former Chiefs offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz uneasy.
“I would expect Mahomes to play well, but as you mentioned, Josh Simmons is a problem,” Schwartz said. “It seems like the back injury issue is continuing to linger. You would like to see him practice this week as they head into game week.
“The question is the offensive line, which I think is really good. They're all healthy, but Josh Simmons right now is out. ...
Right tackle is a question mark, because who ends up playing there? So I'm really concerned about the offensive line.
It's okay to have a little bit of angst.”
Simmons’ status matters because he’s viewed as a key piece up front, and his absence could shape how Kansas City handles Mahomes in the opener against Denver.
On the other sideline, Broncos coach Sean Payton isn’t assuming anything less than the full package from Mahomes. Even with the quarterback coming off ACL and MCL injuries, Payton said Denver is preparing for the “best” version of him.
“You have to be ready and prepare for what you know is his best,” Payton said. “That's in the pocket, that's the extended plays, that's him running, all of those things.
“So you don't give it a lot of thought because you can't control it. It's kind of one of those things where that's not going to occupy my thinking because I have no control over it.”
The Broncos also have recent success against Kansas City to point to, having swept the Chiefs in the Week 17 clash last season while Mahomes was out.
In Other News...
Chiefs Have An Obvious Tyrann Mathieu Decision To Make
Tyrann Mathieu has stayed close to the Chiefs since his playing days ended, turning up around practice and remaining part of the NFL conversation through his podcast. The former Kansas City safety was a centerpiece of the defense during his time with the team, and his post-playing presence has made it easy to imagine him one day moving from the sideline to the staff.
Andy Reid has already said he hopes Mathieu eventually chooses coaching, and the fit is hard to ignore from a Chiefs perspective. If Kansas City ever needs a fresh voice in the defensive backfield, Mathieu would make a natural name to watch, especially with Dave Merritt not sounding eager to chase a coordinator path because of family considerations. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Final Roster Direction Is Getting Clearer After Surprising Cuts
The Chiefs kept churning through the bottom of the roster as they continued to sort out who fits best in the building after the latest round of cuts. One of the more notable moves was the addition of tight end Thomas Odukoya to the practice squad through the NFLs International Player Pathway program, a move that gives Kansas City another developmental piece while the team keeps reshaping its depth chart behind the scenes.
Several players also moved on in quick fashion, with guard C.J. Hanson, quarterback Chris Oladokun and running back EJ Smith waived with injury settlements, and defensive tackle Cole Brevard released before Marcus Harris was brought in to take his practice squad spot. The sequence of moves points to a roster picture that is getting sharper by the day, even if a few of the final decisions still leave room for more turnover. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Just Bought Themselves Breathing Room On A Bigger O-Line Concern
The Chiefs have carved out a little more financial breathing room just before Week 1, restructuring Trey Smiths contract to help ease the pressure on a roster still carrying questions up front. By converting $18.54 million of his 2026 base salary into a signing bonus, Kansas City lowered Smiths cap hit for this season by $12.54 million and opened up $13.85 million in cap space, a useful move as the team keeps sorting through its offensive line situation.
Smiths health has been part of the backdrop here, and the longer-term picture is just as important for Kansas City. His cap charge is set to climb over the next two years, and more restructuring could still be in play, which means this is less a clean fix than a way to buy time while the Chiefs manage both their payroll and the uncertainty around one of the key pieces of that line. [Read more 🡒]