In an off-season marked by an extraordinary number of injuries, Andy Reid finally brought some good news for fans. After months spent on the sideline, Patrick Mahomes could play in their Week 1 opener. It’s a gamble, but if it works, the Chiefs get a jump start to their season, right?
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On paper, that’s the case, but it’s not that simple. Josh Simmons, the player protecting Mahomes’ blind side, is sitting out with an injury. And even though Andy Reid has a player in mind to replace him, it could be one of the biggest risks he takes this season.
In Tuesday’s online media call, Reid revealed that Simmons continues to deal with his back issue. If Simmons can’t play, which seems likely, Reid will start an undrafted rookie.
“Josh is rehabbing. He’s working his tail off,” Reid said on KCC’s YouTube channel. “This isn’t something that is anything other than him having an issue with his back. It’s a matter of time here. But he continues to work hard with (head athletic trainer) Rick (Burkholder) and do his part there.”
“We’re comfortable with Kahlil on either side,” he said. “He’s been playing the left side, so we feel comfortable with that. We’ll end up playing the five best guys, and right now, he’s one of them. If he has to be the left tackle, then he’s the left tackle, and we roll with it. That’s just how it goes.”
Simmons hasn’t practiced since August 18, and while the Chiefs were hopeful early on that he’d be back in time, that hope now looks like it’s fading. Reid gave an update on his condition, and it wasn’t the most encouraging. That puts Benson in the starting role. When Reid was asked if he’d place Khalil Benson on left and Jaylen Moore right, he refused to give a concrete answer, but said yes, that would be likely.
What’s confusing is their positioning. Moore is a swing tackle. He could take either spot. But putting Benson in an LT role? That could be a recipe for disaster, and there’s a reason we say that.
Benson played 16 games at Indiana last year and started 12 of them, but every single one of those starts came at right tackle. He’s never lined up at left tackle before in a college game, and now he’s suddenly responsible for protecting Mahomes’ blind side.
That confidence is being tested a bit, though, after Benson had a tough preseason outing against Rueben Bain and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also had some trouble handling a silent snap count during that game, per The Athletic’s Jesse Newell’s.
As for Simmons, his back issues actually started back in mid-August. Nobody seems to know exactly when he’ll be able to get back on the field, and interestingly, the team still hasn’t put him on injured reserve, a move that would sideline him for at least four games.
“I’m not putting any time restraint on when he can come back or when he can practice or how many practices he needs or all that,” Reid said. “I just want to make sure he’s healthy and OK to go. But other than that, we move forward.”
Simmons is a big piece of this offensive line, which probably explains why the Chiefs have been busy adding depth up front over the past few weeks. Bringing in Joshua Ezeudu from the Giants and Diego Pounds gives them some cushion if Simmons can’t go in Week 1.
So the Chiefs still have some question marks along the offensive line, but at least they’ll have their quarterback back for the opener.
Andy Reid Expects Patrick Mahomes to Start in Week 1 Against Broncos
Nine months after a knee injury that threatened to end his season early, Patrick Mahomes is set to jog out onto the field Monday night when the Chiefs kick off their year against the Broncos. Andy Reid shared the update on Tuesday, and it’s the news Kansas City fans have been hoping to hear all offseason.
“Pretty good chance Patrick will go ahead and start, unless something were to come up here in the next couple of days,” Reid said. “But, most likely, he’ll be the guy that’s out there.”
Back on December 14, the Chiefs were in the middle of a loss to the Chargers when things took a turn for the worse. Mahomes was scrambling near his own sideline when LA’s Da’Shawn Hand spun him down awkwardly, tearing both his ACL and LCL.
Mahomes had surgery the very next day in Dallas and got right to work on his recovery. Since then, he hasn’t missed a single day of practice, though the team kept him out of all three preseason games as a precaution.
But now, Reid has pointed toward his return.
“He’s shown everything there,” Reid said. “You guys have seen him out there, so you know what it looks like, him running around and doing his stuff. Other than having a brace on his leg, everything looks normal. He is running around the same way he’s always done, throwing the ball the same way he’s always done. So, I think we’ll be fine there.”
Mahomes looks ready to prove his knee is the least of the Chiefs’ worries heading into Week 1.