The Kansas City Chiefs may still be riding high from their dominant 31–0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Maybe they are even looking ahead to a similar result in the Week 8 matchup against the Washington Commanders. But before they get too comfortable, head coach Andy Reid has offered an injury update in his opening remarks to reporters ahead of Thursday’s practice, outlining which players would be sidelined from the session. 

Taking to his X account, Matt Derrick, beat writer at ChiefsDigest, shared a clip of Reid from the media update. “Chiefs Andy Reid says LT Josh Simmons won’t practice Thursday,” he wrote. While Simmons’ situation has been uncertain for the past two games, RG Trey Smith and RB Kareem Hunt won’t be practicing either. 

“Kareem Hunt has a bone bruise on his knee, he’s going to be OK, but we’ll have him sit out today. And Trey [Smith]. [He’s] got low back spasms. It’s getting better. We’ll just see how it goes,” Reid announced. Then Reid moved on to the Simmons situation that everyone has been trying to get more understanding of.

“There’s communication,” said Reid. “I’m not going to get into all of it. Everything’s positive; it’s not a negative situation. He’s taking care of family.” 

The family bit might just be the most telling detail that Reid has offered so far regarding Simmons. He was a late addition to the injury report two weeks ago against the Detroit Lions due to a personal issue, making him miss that game, but he also hasn’t returned to practice ever since. 

When asked a follow-up question on Thursday, Reid added, “He’s just taking care of business. That’s the main thing right here. When you deal with this, that’s what you do. He’s been very good about communicating it.” While the head coach refrained from discussing any timeline for Simmons’ return, the Chiefs’ decision-making offers a clue. 

The team has not placed him on the non-football injury list, a move that would have opened a roster spot but required him to miss a minimum of four weeks. For now, Kansas City seems content to wait, with Jaylon Moore continuing to fill in at left tackle during Simmons’ absence. But again, Simmons’ position isn’t the only one that will need adjustment. 

The Chiefs already had to adjust early after right guard Smith exited in the first quarter with lower back spasms against the Raiders. Mike Caliendo stepped in and handled the job with composure, keeping the line steady for the rest of the game.

 If Smith isn’t ready for Monday night, six days before the high-stakes AFC clash with Buffalo, Caliendo’s performance gives Andy Reid some reassurance. Smith’s value, however, can’t be understated. The 26-year-old has allowed just two quarterback hits and no sacks through seven games, earning a 71.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus and solidifying himself as one of the league’s top interior linemen. 

As for Hunt, Reid remains optimistic that the veteran should be fine for the upcoming game. He briefly left Sunday’s contest after being rolled up on while blocking for Rashee Rice’s first touchdown, though he managed to return later. If the team chooses to rest him, Isiah Pacheco will likely shoulder more of the workload, with Brashard Smith also expected to see increased touches after notching a career-high 19 last week.

Doing that might be okay because it’s been a quieter season for Hunt so far anyway. Three touchdowns but just 29.3 rushing yards per game on 3.9 yards per carry, figures that partly reflect Kansas City’s ongoing struggles up front. 

The Chiefs currently rank 24th in run-block win rate, a number that speaks to how critical both Smith’s health and Simmons’ eventual return will be in keeping the offense balanced heading into the tougher half of their schedule. But while Moore steps up in place of Simmons, he has proven himself well. That effort hasn’t gone unnoticed, especially by Patrick Mahomes.

Patrick Mahomes backs Moore’s breakthrough

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes praised offensive tackle Jaylon Moore for his readiness and performance. “He’s done a great job,” the 30-year-old said. “He comes to work with a mentality of being ready for that next snap. He’s done it all throughout training camp, and now he’s done it in the regular season, and that’s the reason he’s here.”

Moore’s path to the starting lineup wasn’t easy. Signed to a multi-year free-agent contract in March, the former 49er was expected to start at left tackle. But when Kansas City used its first-round pick on Simmons, Moore found himself on the outside looking in.

The Chiefs opened camp with Simmons at left tackle and Jawaan Taylor returning from knee rehab to reclaim the right tackle spot, pushing Moore into a backup role on the line.

With injuries mounting, Moore got his opportunity. In Week 7 against the Raiders, he provided Mahomes with much-needed stability. So far this season, he has committed zero penalties and allowed just one sack over 165 snaps.

Kansas City’s investment in offensive line depth appears to be paying off in situations like these.