Josh Simmons’ Chiefs Future Now Has Three Tests—and Injury Is Only One

Kansas City Chiefs Merchandise - https://kansascitychiefs-mytake.blogspot.com/p/kansas-city-chiefs-merchandise.html

Josh Simmons’ future with the Chiefs became more uncertain Tuesday, but the uncertainty needs to be described carefully.

NFL insider Ian Rapoport said on ESPN that he does not know whether Simmons will play for Kansas City again—or when he might play again. Rapoport connected that uncertainty to the importance of trusting the player assigned to protect Patrick Mahomes.

That is significant reporting and informed commentary. It is not an announcement that Kansas City has decided to release, trade or permanently bench Simmons. The distinction matters because three separate questions are being compressed into one dramatic headline: Can Simmons become medically ready? Can he repair any damaged trust? And if he clears those two tests, can he reclaim an important role from Kahlil Benson?

The medical decision is the only official roster decision so far

The Chiefs’ official transaction ledger records that Simmons was placed on reserve/injured on October 22. Kansas City’s medical staff said his recovery from a bulging disc had plateaued, and the IR designation requires him to miss at least four games.

That part should not be rewritten after the fact as discipline. Head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder said the decision was medical and was agreed upon after discussions involving Simmons, his representatives and the team. The Associated Press reported that surgery was not recommended and that rehabilitation remained the plan.

One day before the IR move, Simmons was reportedly asked to leave an offensive meeting after a disagreement with Andy Reid over having his feet elevated. Simmons reportedly said the position helped because his back and hips hurt; Reid directed him to seek treatment, and Mahomes eventually reinforced that instruction. NBC Sports’ account of the report says Simmons later apologized.

Those facts can coexist. Simmons can have a legitimate back problem and still have handled the exchange poorly. The Chiefs can enforce meeting standards without dismissing the medical reason behind the way he was sitting. Turning the episode into a choice between “injured” and “insubordinate” would oversimplify both the reporting and the decision Kansas City faces.

An apology does not instantly restore trust—but it matters

Mahomes’ involvement makes the incident harder to dismiss. A quarterback depends on his offensive line physically and mentally, and the left tackle must communicate, prepare and respond consistently when protection plans change. If Mahomes believed the meeting was being disrupted enough to intervene, that is relevant to the working relationship.

But the reported apology is relevant, too. Teams ask players to own mistakes because accountability is supposed to create a path forward. If every apology is treated as meaningless, accountability becomes punishment without rehabilitation.

Kansas City should evaluate what happened after the meeting rather than making the meeting itself the final verdict. Did Simmons accept the treatment plan? Is he participating constructively while on IR? Can he rebuild confidence with coaches, teammates and Mahomes? Those answers will be more informative than outside speculation about whether one confrontation permanently ended his Chiefs career.

Benson gives Kansas City time to make a disciplined decision

This blog’s October 22 analysis framed Simmons’ IR stint as a four-game audit for Benson. That football evaluation remains important, but the new reporting adds a separate trust evaluation for Simmons.

Benson’s presence means Kansas City does not have to force either conclusion. The Chiefs do not need to rush Simmons back because of his draft status, and they do not need to move on from a talented tackle simply to demonstrate that the organization took the meeting incident seriously.

If Benson continues to protect Mahomes effectively, Simmons will have to earn a role rather than inherit one. If Benson struggles and Simmons becomes medically ready, the Chiefs should still require evidence that the communication and trust issues have been resolved. Availability alone should not restore the job; one tense meeting alone should not permanently remove Simmons from consideration.

The counterargument: blind-side trust cannot be negotiated

The strongest case for moving on is straightforward. Kansas City cannot compromise at the position protecting Mahomes’ blind side, and a confrontation involving both Reid and Mahomes may signal a deeper problem than the public can see. If the Chiefs no longer trust Simmons’ preparation or response to coaching, his physical talent will not settle the issue.

That conclusion would become more persuasive if Kansas City takes an action beyond the medically explained IR designation—such as exploring a trade, declining to reintegrate Simmons after clearance or publicly identifying a nonmedical obstacle to his return. None of those steps has been confirmed.

Until then, Rapoport’s uncertainty should be treated as a warning about what Simmons must repair, not proof that the Chiefs have already reached a final decision.

My Take

Simmons’ route back should have three gates: medical clearance, restored trust and a football case for playing ahead of the tackles already on the field. Kansas City should not skip any of them.

The organization can be firm about meeting standards while remaining fair about an injury that has disrupted Simmons’ season. Let the rehabilitation, his conduct during IR and Benson’s performance supply the evidence. The Chiefs’ responsibility is not to protect a former first-round pick from consequences or to turn one bad exchange into a permanent sentence. It is to make the decision that best protects Mahomes when Simmons is actually eligible to play.

Sources

• Arrowhead Pride — Ian Rapoport discusses uncertainty surrounding Josh Simmons’ Chiefs future
• NBC Sports — Report on the Simmons meeting incident and subsequent apology
• Kansas City Chiefs — Official 2026 transaction ledger
• Associated Press via The Washington Post — Simmons placed on injured reserve with a back injury

Josh Simmons’ IR Move Turns the Chiefs’ Left-Tackle Question Into a Four-Game Audit

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Kansas City Chiefs Merchandise - https://kansascitychiefs-mytake.blogspot.com/p/kansas-city-chiefs-merchandise.html

Josh Simmons’ move to injured reserve is disappointing because his limited return to practice had created reasonable hope that Kansas City’s preferred left tackle might soon rejoin the lineup. It is also clarifying.

The Chiefs no longer have to build each week around the possibility that Simmons could be ready. They now have a defined block of games in which Kahlil Benson is not merely keeping the seat warm. He is the starting left tackle Kansas City must evaluate against the standard of a championship offense.

That does not mean the Chiefs should rush to replace Benson. It means the evaluation has to become more demanding than asking whether an undrafted rookie can survive.

What the injured-reserve decision changes

The Chiefs’ official transaction ledger lists Simmons as placed on Reserve/Injured on October 22. Reuters reported that Kansas City’s medical staff believes his rehabilitation from a bulging disc has plateaued before the final stage required for competition. Surgery is not currently recommended, but Simmons must miss at least four games and cannot return before the November 22 matchup with Arizona.

That is a materially different situation from last week. When Simmons practiced on a limited basis, this blog argued that Kansas City should not let its need at tackle outrun his readiness. The Chiefs followed that principle. Now the football question shifts from when Simmons might return to what the line can prove without him.

Placing Simmons on injured reserve also removes some unhelpful weekly ambiguity. Coaches can prepare Benson as the starter without dividing developmental attention around a possible late-week change. Simmons can continue rehabilitating without every practice report becoming a referendum on whether he should play. For both players, clearer roles should be more useful than a nominal competition distorted by health.

Benson’s results are encouraging and incomplete

Benson earned NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month honors for September. In the Chiefs’ October 1 announcement, the team said he had started all three September games, allowed three pressures in each and had not surrendered a sack.

The larger sample is more complicated. Pro Football Focus’ October 22 player data credits Benson with 322 offensive snaps, 12 pressures and seven quarterback hits while still allowing no sacks. PFF grades him much more favorably as a run blocker than as a pass blocker.

PFF grades are one evaluator’s charting, not an unquestionable verdict. Even so, the split identifies the right issue. Benson has helped Kansas City build a productive rushing offense and has avoided the most visible protection failure: the sack. But seven attributed hits are not nothing, especially with Patrick Mahomes returning from major knee surgery. A protection can avoid a sack and still disrupt timing, force an early escape or limit which concepts a coordinator is comfortable calling.

That is why the next four games should not be judged by one clean headline statistic. “No sacks allowed” would be good, but Kansas City also needs to ask how often help must be sent to Benson’s side, whether Mahomes can work through longer-developing reads and whether the offense can retain its full menu rather than protecting the protection every week.

Seattle begins the audit under real pressure

The NFL’s Week 7 matchup page lists Seattle with 16 sacks, ninth in the league, and seven interceptions, second. That is a defense capable of creating pressure and converting hurried decisions into takeaways.

Kansas City’s Thursday injury report adds another complication: right tackle Jaylon Moore remained out of practice while in the concussion protocol. That does not establish his Sunday status, but it means the Chiefs must prepare for the possibility of Joshua Ezeudu starting opposite Benson.

If that happens, Kansas City should not treat every extra tight end, chip or quick throw as proof the tackles failed. Protection help is normal game planning. The more revealing question is whether the offense can vary those answers. If Seattle can predict where the help is going and which routes disappear with it, the cost becomes larger than an individual pressure.

The counterargument is that Kansas City is 5-0 and leads the league at 414 yards per game. Why turn a functional line into an urgent roster debate? That record is a strong reason not to panic. It is not a reason to stop evaluating. Team production can coexist with a position-specific weakness, just as a tackle can contribute to a strong running game while remaining inconsistent in true pass protection.

Do not make a roster move merely to make one

Simmons going to injured reserve will naturally restart calls for Kansas City to add a veteran tackle. Any available option should be compared with Benson, not with an idealized version of a proven starter. A newcomer would need to learn the terminology, protections and communication rules quickly enough to provide an actual upgrade. Experience alone does not guarantee that.

The Chiefs should keep examining the market, but the next four games can supply better evidence than the transaction headline. If Benson limits clean losses, keeps Mahomes from absorbing hits and allows the call sheet to remain broad, continuity may be more valuable than an outside name. If pressure repeatedly arrives from his edge or the offense has to remove too much of its passing game to compensate, the case for help becomes stronger.

My Take

Simmons’ move to injured reserve is bad news for his return timetable, but it gives Kansas City useful clarity. The Chiefs should treat the next four games as a genuine audit of Benson—not an extended emergency and not a ceremonial endorsement.

His run blocking and sack prevention have earned him the opportunity. The pressures and quarterback hits mean the job is not settled. Let performance decide whether Kansas City already has its answer or needs to find one before the postseason, while Simmons gets the time his back requires.

Sources

• Kansas City Chiefs — Official transaction ledger
• Reuters — Chiefs place Josh Simmons on injured reserve (October 22, 2026)
• Kansas City Chiefs — Kahlil Benson named Offensive Rookie of the Month
• Pro Football Focus — Kahlil Benson 2026 blocking data
• Kansas City Chiefs — Official Week 7 injury report (October 22, 2026)
• NFL — Chiefs at Seahawks Week 7 preview and team statistics

Putting Kingsley Suamataia Back In Is a Vote for Development, Not a Free Pass

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Andy Reid’s decision to put Kingsley Suamataia back at left guard is not the end of Kansas City’s competition there. It is the clearest sign yet that the Chiefs still believe his development is worth protecting—even after showing they are willing to take him off the field.

That balance matters. Restoring Suamataia immediately without a credible alternative would feel automatic. Returning him after Mike Caliendo handled every offensive snap at left guard against Las Vegas sends a more useful message: the job is still Suamataia’s, but it is no longer protected from consequences.

Reid confirmed the result, not the reason

In his October 12 press conference, Reid was asked whether Suamataia would return following the bye. His answer was direct: “Yeah, he’ll be back in.”

Arrowhead Pride reported that Caliendo started and played the entire Week 4 game against the Raiders while Suamataia did not play. Reid has declined to explain publicly why the change occurred, saying after the game that the details would remain between him and Suamataia.

That missing information limits what anyone outside the building can responsibly conclude. There is no verified basis for labeling the decision an injury replacement, disciplinary benching or permanent demotion.

The defensible facts are narrower: Kansas City changed left guards for one game, Caliendo completed the assignment, and Reid now says Suamataia is going back in.

The temporary change gave Kansas City something valuable

Suamataia started all 17 games at left guard in 2025 and opened the first three games of 2026 before not playing against Las Vegas. One missed start does not erase that investment. It does, however, establish that Kansas City has a veteran alternative it trusts enough to use for an entire game.

That matters because offensive-line depth is useful only when coaches are willing to test it. Caliendo’s appearance was not a few emergency snaps after an injury. He was the planned starter, and the Chiefs still scored 30 points in a road division victory.

That result does not prove Caliendo played better than Suamataia or should own the position; publicly available team reporting has not provided enough evidence for that conclusion.

It does reduce the uncertainty surrounding the backup plan. If Suamataia struggles, is injured or needs another reset, Reid now has a recent full-game example of the offense operating with Caliendo beside center Creed Humphrey.

Development works better when the player has to earn continuity

Kansas City selected Suamataia in the second round in 2024 and later moved him inside after his early difficulties at tackle. The organization has invested considerable time in finding a position that fits his strength and athletic ability.

Keeping him in the lineup makes sense if the Chiefs believe his ceiling remains higher. At 23, he can still improve in ways a veteran reserve may not. But “developing” a player cannot mean ignoring every performance or preparation issue. Competition gives development an immediate standard.

That is why the sequence is healthier than either extreme.

A permanent benching after one unexplained absence could sacrifice long-term upside too quickly. An automatic return with no capable alternative would remove pressure to improve.

Kansas City has chosen the middle: Suamataia receives the next opportunity, while Caliendo has demonstrated that the coaching staff can act if needed.

The uncertainty at left tackle raises the stakes

The decision also sits beside a separate question. Second-year tackle Josh Simmons has missed the season while recovering from a bulging disc in his lower back. Reid said Simmons continued rehabilitation during the bye but did not give a return date. Rookie Kahlil Benson has been filling the left-tackle role.

When one position on the left side is already unsettled, continuity at the other becomes more valuable. Suamataia returning at guard allows the Chiefs to evaluate the tackle situation without simultaneously rebuilding both adjacent spots.

It also means his performance cannot be evaluated in isolation. Communication with Benson, Humphrey and any future tackle combination will matter as much as individual one-on-one wins.

Kansas City needs the left side to function as a unit, especially with the offense trying to improve its recent short-yardage execution.

The counterargument: one game may not represent real competition

It is possible to read too much into a single lineup change. Reid may always have intended to restore Suamataia, and the reason for sitting him may have had little to do with performance. If Suamataia returns and keeps the job without further changes, the Las Vegas start could become a minor footnote.

The evidence that would change this interpretation is straightforward.

If Caliendo stops receiving meaningful consideration despite new Suamataia struggles, calling the situation a competition would be overstating it. If the Chiefs again turn to Caliendo—or rotate him into the lineup—the Week 4 decision will look more like the beginning of an active evaluation.

For now, Reid’s choice still matters because it establishes both confidence and a boundary. Suamataia is returning, but the Chiefs have already proved that returning is not automatic.

My Take

Kansas City is handling this correctly.

Suamataia’s age, draft investment and starting experience justify another opportunity. Caliendo’s full game against Las Vegas gives Reid a credible alternative if that opportunity is not earned week after week.

The most useful outcome is not choosing a permanent winner in October. It is creating an offensive line in which a young starter can continue developing without the team pretending his place is untouchable.

Sources

• Kansas City Chiefs — Andy Reid press conference, October 12, 2026
• Kansas City Chiefs — Kingsley Suamataia profile and game log
• Arrowhead Pride — Reid says Suamataia will return at left guard
• Arrowhead Pride — Chiefs Week 4 snap-count analysis

Kahlil Benson’s Rookie Award Means the Chiefs Found More Than an Emergency Left Tackle

Kahlil Benson entered the Chiefs’ building this spring without even the security of a draft pick.

He had a rookie-minicamp tryout.

Three regular-season games later, he has an NFL monthly award.

The league named Benson its Offensive Rookie of the Month for September after he started each of Kansas City’s first three games at left tackle. According to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats cited in the league announcement, Benson allowed seven quarterback pressures on 106 pass-blocking snaps, the third-fewest among left tackles, while facing a one-on-one matchup on 84% of those pass-block snaps — the highest rate among qualifying rookies. He became the first offensive lineman to win the award since Quenton Nelson in 2018. NFL

That is a terrific individual story.

I think it may also tell us something important about how Kansas City builds an offensive line.

This Is More Than a Good Fill-In Story

Benson did not play left tackle in college at Indiana.

He was not drafted.

He arrived at Kansas City’s rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, earned a place in the organization and eventually became the starter when Josh Simmons’ back injury kept Simmons out of the lineup. The Chiefs are 3-0 with Benson starting on Patrick Mahomes’ blind side. Kansas City Chiefs

Normally, that résumé would make “survive until the starter returns” a reasonable expectation.

Instead, Benson has played well enough to win a league-wide rookie award at one of football’s hardest positions.

That changes the way I think we should describe what Kansas City has found.

An emergency replacement gets you through a game.

A player earning league recognition while handling one-on-one NFL pass rushers is beginning to look like actual roster value.

The One-on-One Number Matters

The most interesting statistic in Benson’s award announcement is not simply the pressure total.

It is the one-on-one rate.

The NFL credited Benson with facing an individual matchup on 89 of his 106 pass-blocking snaps. EBS PublicNow

That suggests Kansas City has not spent September designing its entire offense around hiding the rookie.

Of course, offensive-line protection is more complicated than one number. Slide protection, quarterback timing, running-back chips, play-action concepts and Mahomes’ own pocket movement all influence how much pressure reaches the quarterback.

But a left tackle repeatedly being asked to handle a defender individually is still meaningful.

Benson is participating in the offense rather than merely being protected by it.

That distinction matters.

There Is an Important Statistical Caution

Pressure statistics are not perfectly standardized across tracking providers.

Kansas City’s own article on Benson’s award described him as allowing three pressures in each of the first three games and no sacks. The NFL’s Next Gen Stats release credited him with seven pressures and one sack on 106 pass-blocking snaps. Kansas City Chiefs

That discrepancy is a useful reminder not to turn any single pass-protection number into absolute truth.

What does not change depending on the provider is the larger picture: Benson has started every game at an unfamiliar position, Kansas City has protected Mahomes well enough to build one of the league’s most productive early-season offenses, and the NFL believed Benson’s performance merited Rookie of the Month recognition.

That is plenty impressive without polishing the numbers.

The Bigger Story Is Development

NFL roster building usually gets discussed through obvious investments.

First-round picks.

Big free-agent contracts.

Trades.

Benson represents the other side of it.

Every team has roughly the same draft structure and the same salary cap rules. A major competitive advantage comes from finding useful players where other teams did not.

Turning an undrafted rookie-minicamp tryout into a starting left tackle is exactly that kind of value.

Whether the credit belongs primarily to Benson, offensive-line coach Andy Heck, Kansas City’s scouting department, the offensive structure around Mahomes or some combination of all four is impossible to separate from the outside.

The result is easier to see.

Kansas City lost the player it expected to start at one of the most important positions on the field and did not have to rebuild the offense around that absence.

What Happens When Josh Simmons Returns?

This is where the story gets more interesting.

Simmons remained out of practice again Thursday because of his back injury. Las Vegas Raiders

That means Kansas City does not have to answer the long-term left-tackle question yet.

Eventually, it might.

Simmons is a highly valued young player whom Kansas City clearly views as part of its future. Benson playing well for three September games should not automatically erase that.

But Benson has earned something more valuable than a temporary starting assignment.

He has earned the right to make the decision difficult.

That is exactly what a good roster should produce.

My Take

Kahlil Benson winning Rookie of the Month should not be viewed primarily as proof that Kansas City can survive until Josh Simmons comes back.

It should be viewed as proof that Benson belongs in the conversation regardless of how Simmons’ recovery unfolds.

Three games are not a career.

Maxx Crosby and the Raiders will provide another much tougher data point Sunday.

But pedigree should matter less every week Benson continues playing well.

The Chiefs brought him into rookie minicamp without promising him anything.

He earned a roster spot.

He earned a starting job.

Now he has earned an NFL award.

At some point, “great story” has to give way to a more interesting possibility:

Kansas City may simply have found a left tackle.

Sources

Kansas City Chiefs — Kahlil Benson earns NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month

NFL — September Players and Rookies of the Month

NFL Enterprises — Kahlil Benson Rookie of the Month Next Gen Stats breakdown

Kansas City Chiefs — Week 4 injury report 

Kahlil Benson Just Turned the Chiefs’ Biggest Week 1 Concern Into One of Their Best Stories

 The Kansas City Chiefs entered Week 1 with one question hanging over Patrick Mahomes’ return more than any other:

Could they protect him?

Josh Simmons was unavailable, and Kansas City handed the left-tackle job to Kahlil Benson, an undrafted rookie who had not played the position in college. His assignment in his first NFL game was hardly forgiving. Denver’s Nik Bonitto entered the season with 27.5 sacks over the previous two years.

That looked like the kind of matchup capable of ruining an otherwise carefully planned comeback for Mahomes.

Instead, Benson became one of the best stories of the night.

According to the Chiefs and Next Gen Stats, Benson allowed just one pressure on 32 pass-blocking snaps. His 3.2 percent pressure rate was the best among all rookie offensive tackles in Week 1.

Think about the path required to get there.

Benson was not drafted. He was not even one of Kansas City’s original undrafted free-agent signings. He came to rookie minicamp as a tryout player after starting at right tackle for national champion Indiana in 2025. Out of dozens of players trying to earn another day in the NFL, he played well enough to get a contract.

Then he survived training camp.

Then he made the 53-man roster.

Then injuries moved him to a position he had not played since high school.

Then Andy Reid put him on national television against one of football’s better edge rushers.

And Benson responded by allowing one pressure.

That does not mean Kansas City has permanently solved left tackle. Josh Simmons remains an important part of the Chiefs’ plans, and one good game should never be mistaken for a complete evaluation of a young offensive lineman.

But depth changes seasons.

The Chiefs spent much of the offseason trying to make sure Mahomes would not again be asked to compensate for instability in front of him. Benson’s performance suggests Kansas City may have found something far more valuable than emergency depth.

He may be a legitimate NFL tackle.

The running game helped him. So did Andy Reid’s play design and the presence of an experienced interior line. That should not diminish what Benson accomplished. Every offensive tackle receives schematic help at times. Eventually, the player still has to block the defender across from him.

Benson did.

My Take

I spent plenty of time worrying about the Chiefs’ offensive line before Week 1, so I am not going to pretend I expected this.

I didn’t.

An undrafted rookie making his NFL debut at left tackle against Denver’s pass rush sounded like exactly the wrong situation for a quarterback playing his first game after major knee surgery.

Instead, Benson looked like he belonged.

The important thing now is not to turn one good night into unrealistic expectations. Young tackles get exposed. Defensive coordinators study film. Future opponents will identify the techniques Benson handles well and the ones he does not.

The test gets harder from here.

But Kansas City now knows something it did not know a week ago: when Benson’s name was called in a difficult situation, he did not merely survive.

He performed.

For an undrafted rookie who arrived at Chiefs rookie camp on a tryout, that is one remarkable beginning.

Sources:

• Kansas City Chiefs, Sept. 16, 2026 — 10 Quick Facts Following the Chiefs Week 1 Win Over Denver: https://www.chiefs.com/news/10-quick-facts-following-the-chiefs-week-1-win-over-denver-upon-further-review

• Kansas City Chiefs, May 4, 2026 — Chiefs Sign Three Tryout Players Following Rookie Camp: https://www.chiefs.com/news/chiefs-sign-three-tryout-players-following-rookie-camp

• Yahoo Sports/AtoZ Sports, Sept. 15, 2026 — Kahlil Benson’s unlikely Week 1 story: https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/kansas-city-chiefs-officially-home-212834744.html

Kansas City Chiefs’ Left Tackle Problem Is Real — But D.J. Humphries Isn’t the Answer

 The Kansas City Chiefs suddenly have a very uncomfortable question to answer heading into Week 1:

Who is going to protect Patrick Mahomes’ blind side?

With Josh Simmons battling a back injury and missing Thursday’s practice, the Chiefs could find themselves turning to Kahlil Benson at left tackle when Kansas City opens the 2026 season against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football.

That uncertainty makes almost any veteran offensive tackle who becomes available worth discussing.

And that brings us to a familiar name: D.J. Humphries.

Matt Conner of Arrowhead Addict recently raised the issue after the Washington Commanders released Humphries, arguing that while Kansas City clearly needs some insurance at tackle, going back to Humphries would be the wrong move.

I agree.

I Understand Why Chiefs Fans Would Consider Humphries

On the surface, it makes sense.

Humphries is a former first-round pick. He has nearly 100 NFL starts under his belt. He made a Pro Bowl. Most importantly, he already knows the Kansas City Chiefs organization.

When you're staring at the possibility of an inexperienced tackle protecting Mahomes in the first game of the season, signing an experienced veteran sounds comforting.

But sometimes familiarity gives us a false sense of security.

The Chiefs already tried this.

Kansas City brought Humphries in during the 2024 season when the team was desperately searching for stability at left tackle. Instead of becoming the solution, Humphries lasted one start before suffering a hamstring injury that sidelined him. Since then, his career hasn't exactly experienced a resurgence. He appeared in eight games for the Los Angeles Rams last season but started only one. Washington signed him in late August and released him just a couple of weeks later.

That doesn't scream "solution."

It screams another temporary patch.

At Some Point, You Have to Find Out What You Have

This is where I think the Chiefs may be making the right decision, even if it makes Chiefs Kingdom nervous.

Kansas City's current offensive line group includes Josh Simmons, Kahlil Benson, Jaylon Moore, Diego Pounds, Kingsley Suamataia and one of the best interior combinations in football with Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith.

If Simmons can't go Monday night, Benson may get an enormous opportunity.

Is that risky?

Absolutely.

An undrafted young tackle potentially making a Week 1 start while protecting Patrick Mahomes against a division opponent on Monday Night Football isn't exactly the scenario any Chiefs fan would draw up.

But there comes a point where Kansas City has to determine whether Benson can actually play.

Training camp practices and preseason games can only tell you so much.

Eventually, the lights come on.

The Bigger Concern Is Patrick Mahomes

This situation also feels different because of what's happening behind the offensive line.

Mahomes is returning after suffering torn knee ligaments last December. He's participating fully in practice and appears ready to go for Week 1, but protecting him should be priority No. 1, No. 2 and probably No. 3 for this franchise.

That's exactly why I don't believe the Chiefs should sign a tackle simply because fans recognize his name.

If Brett Veach is going to add someone, that player needs to represent a legitimate upgrade.

That's the standard.

The question shouldn't be:

"Is D.J. Humphries experienced?"

Of course he is.

The question should be:

"Is D.J. Humphries better right now than Kahlil Benson, Jaylon Moore or the other options already on Kansas City's roster?"

Based on what we've seen over the last couple of seasons, I'm not convinced the answer is yes.

Don't Confuse Experience With Improvement

This is something NFL teams face all the time.

A recognizable veteran becomes available and immediately fans start connecting dots.

We've seen him play before.

We know his name.

He's played in big games.

He has experience.

Therefore, he must make the roster better.

Except that isn't necessarily true.

Humphries' résumé is impressive when looking at his entire career. But Kansas City wouldn't be signing the 2021 Pro Bowl version of D.J. Humphries.

They'd be signing the 2026 version.

That's an important distinction.

The Chiefs need to evaluate the player Humphries is today—not the player he was several years ago.

My Take

I'm definitely concerned about left tackle.

How could you not be?

Patrick Mahomes is coming back from a major knee injury, Josh Simmons has a back problem, and the Chiefs may have to trust an inexperienced Kahlil Benson against Denver in Week 1.

That's far from ideal.

But I also don't believe making a move simply for the sake of making a move helps anything.

If Brett Veach finds a veteran tackle who clearly improves this offensive line, absolutely go get him.

If a trade opportunity develops for a legitimate starting-caliber tackle, explore it.

But bringing back D.J. Humphries because he's available and familiar with Kansas City feels more like reacting to the problem than actually solving it.

And there's another possibility Chiefs fans should consider.

Maybe the Chiefs know something about Kahlil Benson that we don't yet.

Kansas City kept Benson on the 53-man roster for a reason. The coaching staff has watched every practice, every rep and every meeting. If Andy Reid, Andy Heck and the Chiefs' offensive staff believe Benson deserves an opportunity, I'm willing to see what the kid can do.

That doesn't mean Kansas City should stop looking for offensive tackle help.

They absolutely shouldn't.

It means the Chiefs should look for the right tackle—not simply the most familiar one available.

D.J. Humphries had his opportunity in Kansas City.

Right now, I'd rather see the Chiefs find out whether one of their young tackles can become part of the future than go back to a veteran who already showed us why he probably isn't.

What do you think, Chiefs Kingdom? Would you bring D.J. Humphries back as insurance, or would you trust Kahlil Benson and the tackles already on the roster?

This post is commentary inspired by reporting from Matt Conner of Arrowhead Addict. Kansas City Chiefs – My Take is an independent fan blog and is not affiliated with the Kansas City Chiefs or the NFL.

Andy Reid’s Left Tackle Gamble Is a Huge Risk With Patrick Mahomes Returning

 The Kansas City Chiefs haven't even played their first game of the 2026 season yet, and we may already have our first decision for Chiefs Kingdom to argue about.

With starting left tackle Josh Simmons dealing with a back issue and looking increasingly unlikely to play Monday night against the Denver Broncos, Andy Reid appears prepared to hand the job of protecting Patrick Mahomes' blind side to undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson. Reid has said the Chiefs are comfortable with Benson on the left side and that Kansas City intends to put its "five best guys" on the field.

On the surface, that's a great story.

Benson went from a rookie-camp tryout to making the Chiefs' 53-man roster in a matter of months. He started at right tackle for national champion Indiana last season and impressed Kansas City enough during training camp that he was seriously competing for a starting job. The Chiefs officially signed him only after he earned a contract during their rookie minicamp in May.

But there's a pretty big difference between being a great story and being the guy responsible for protecting Patrick Mahomes against Denver's pass rush.

And that's where I have some concerns.

The Arrowhead Addict article that sparked this discussion makes a compelling argument that Reid should reconsider the plan and move veteran Jaylon Moore to left tackle instead. Moore isn't an All-Pro, but he has something Benson doesn't have: actual NFL experience protecting the blind side.

More importantly, we've already seen him do it for Kansas City.

When Josh Simmons missed time last season, Moore made four starts at left tackle. The Chiefs went 3-1 in those games and averaged 27.5 points. Before arriving in Kansas City, Moore also started games at left tackle for San Francisco while filling in for Trent Williams.

Does that mean Moore is suddenly one of the NFL's premier tackles? Of course not.

But there is a massive difference between "not elite" and "never done this before."

Benson spent his college career primarily on the right side and inside. The Chiefs have been working him at left tackle since Simmons' injury, but putting him there for an NFL regular-season opener—against Denver, no less—is an entirely different test.

Normally, maybe I'd be more willing to roll the dice.

This isn't a normal situation.

Patrick Mahomes is coming back from ACL and LCL injuries.

Reid says Mahomes is likely to start Monday night after a remarkable nine-month recovery, meaning the Chiefs are putting their franchise quarterback back on the field for the first time since the knee injury that ended his 2025 season.

That alone should change the calculation.

I don't want Mahomes spending his first game back wondering whether pressure is coming from his blind side. I don't want him unnecessarily scrambling because a young tackle misses an assignment. And I definitely don't want to see Kansas City put its most important player in additional danger simply because the coaching staff wants to see whether an undrafted rookie can handle the assignment.

There is a time for development.

Week 1 against Denver with Mahomes returning from major knee surgery isn't when I'd choose to experiment.

Now, there is another side to this.

Andy Reid, offensive line coach Andy Heck and the rest of Kansas City's staff have watched Benson every day. We've seen only a small fraction of his snaps. They've seen hundreds.

Reid's confidence isn't based on a highlight clip or a preseason scouting report. If he's willing to put Benson at left tackle, there's obviously something the coaching staff believes he can handle.

There's also something to be said for continuity. Rather than moving Moore from the right side and rearranging the offensive line again, Kansas City has spent time preparing Benson specifically to fill Simmons' spot. Reid clearly believes Benson belongs among the Chiefs' best five linemen right now.

And Reid has earned a little benefit of the doubt over the years.

Okay—a lot.

But even Hall of Fame coaches can make decisions worth questioning.

For me, this comes down to risk versus reward.

What's the upside of starting Benson at left tackle?

If he performs well, Kansas City may have discovered another long-term offensive-line piece. That's fantastic.

But what's the downside?

An inexperienced rookie could struggle against a dangerous Denver front while protecting a quarterback playing his first meaningful football since suffering a major knee injury.

Those two outcomes don't carry equal weight.

I'd rather be conservative.

Put Jaylon Moore at left tackle. Put Benson on the right side, where he has considerably more experience. Give Mahomes the veteran protecting his blind side. Help the tackles with Noah Gray or Travis Kelce when necessary. Use the running backs to chip edge rushers. Get the ball out quickly early in the game.

Do whatever it takes to let Mahomes settle back into football without spending Monday night running for his life.

Maybe Benson goes out there and makes all of us questioning the move look ridiculous.

I would be perfectly happy with that.

In fact, I hope that's exactly what happens.

But considering what happened to Mahomes last season—and considering how important this season is for a Chiefs team trying to get back to the postseason—I don't think this is the moment to prove how much faith you have in an undrafted rookie.

Sometimes the boring decision is the right decision.

And in Week 1, protecting Patrick Mahomes should matter a whole lot more than making a great underdog story even better.

What do you think, Chiefs Kingdom? Would you trust Kahlil Benson at left tackle against Denver, or move Jaylon Moore back to the blind side?

Sources: The original discussion comes from Owen Smith's Sept. 10 Arrowhead Addict article arguing that Kansas City should reconsider its left-tackle plan. Reid's comments about Benson, Simmons and the "five best guys" have also been reported by NBC Sports and other Chiefs reporters.