Josh Simmons’ return to the Chiefs’ offensive line is finally coming into focus.
Kansas City still kept the left tackle out of practice to open the new week of preparation on Wednesday, but Andy Reid said Simmons is trending the right way and could be back in some capacity as soon as Thursday. Reid didn’t give a firm timetable for the back issue, but he did offer a clearer update than the team has had for weeks.
“Josh [Simmons] won't practice today. He is getting better, but he won't go today.
Tomorrow, he's gonna do some stuff. Ready to gonna ease him back in to the next...,” said Reid.
That’s the most concrete sign yet that Simmons’ absence may be nearing its end. He first missed training camp practice on August 18 and later sat out the Chiefs’ final two preseason games. Throughout that stretch, Reid consistently described the back problem as minor and said the team wasn’t alarmed.
Kansas City has already had to navigate life without him. Two weeks after the preseason wrapped, the Chiefs opened against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football with rookie free agent Kahlil Benson at left tackle protecting Patrick Mahomes’ blindside.
Benson, a rookie free agent signing who had never even played the position in college at Indiana, handled the job well enough to keep things steady. Reid praised that effort on Wednesday, too.
“Listen, he's done a nice job. We're early in and he's one of the young guys.
But for what we're asking him to do, he's done a heckuva job. Every week's a new week, and the more people are able to study him, then you're gong to get different looks and you've got to be able to answer that.
When you're new in the league that's what you get. So how you handle that is important.”
Even with Benson holding up, the Chiefs remain thin at the spot, and Simmons would be a significant boost once he’s ready. If he’s limited on Thursday, that could point toward a Week 3 return against the Miami Dolphins, when Kansas City goes on the road for the first time after opening with back-to-back home games.
If the Chiefs decide he needs more ramp-up time, the Week 4 trip to face the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium becomes another possibility. That would also set him up for a matchup with a division rival, with the Chiefs and Raiders tied atop the AFC West after two games.
What happens once Simmons is back is still worth watching. The Chiefs could move him to the right side and let him compete with Jaylon Moore for a starting role, or they could use him as a swing tackle. Either way, the picture is much clearer now: Simmons is close, and Kansas City has more options up front than it looked like it might have in the preseason.
In Other News...
Chiefs Suddenly Have A Linebacker Issue They Can't Ignore
The Chiefs are off to a 2-0 start, and the offense has done enough heavy lifting to keep the early conversation centered on the good. But the defense has already flashed a spot worth watching, and its the second linebacker role that has drawn the most scrutiny as Kansas City works through the first stretch of the season.
Jack Cochrane picked up more defensive snaps in the second game, giving the Chiefs a closer look at what that spot looks like in real time. The issue is that the reps did not smooth everything over, especially in coverage and against the run, which is why the team could wind up seeking more competition at the third linebacker spot as the schedule starts to present tougher tests for the front seven. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Just Gave Season Ticket Holders Another Reason To Brag
The Chiefs are leaning into the kind of pageantry that has long made Arrowhead part of the franchise's brand. As an annual perk, the team sent season-ticket members red wool varsity jackets with a vintage look, another reminder that being part of the Chiefs ticket base comes with more than just a seat for Sundays. In a league where many teams are always trying to make their memberships feel special, this one has a little extra style attached to it.
Across the NFL, season-ticket gifts can run the gamut, and Kansas Citys latest offering is the sort of item fans are happy to show off online. Social media reaction followed, with supporters treating the jacket as both a keepsake and a badge of loyalty, which is exactly the kind of response the team was probably hoping for. The only real question now is how much more the Chiefs plan to turn these annual perks into collector's items. [Read more 🡒]
Patrick Mahomes Even Has One Harsh Critic Changing His Tune
Patrick Mahomes return from a knee injury already had Chiefs fans feeling better about the direction of the season, and his performance in Kansas Citys early games only reinforced it. The quarterback looked sharp in the season-opening stretch, including the 33-30 overtime win against the Indianapolis Colts, when he completed 32 of 47 passes for 382 yards and three touchdowns while helping steady an offense that needed him right away.
What caught extra attention, though, was the reaction from one of Mahomes most persistent skeptics. Former Fox Sports host Skip Bayless publicly praised Mahomes recovery and play on social media, a shift that surprised plenty of Chiefs fans and set off a round of online reactions of its own. For a player who has spent years being measured against almost impossible standards, even a change of tone from a harsh critic says plenty about how quickly Mahomes has reasserted himself. [Read more 🡒]