The Kansas City Chiefs need to keep Patrick Mahomes safe and sound. Barring a setback, he'll be back on the field for Week 1, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll be as crafty and mobile as he was before the ACL injury.
As such, left tackle Josh Simmons will probably be the second-most important guy on the offense and Mahomes' best friend. The Chiefs have struggled with blindside protection for years, and they hope he can finally end that curse.
Simmons showed flashes of strong play during a rookie season stained by a prolonged absence and a season-ending injury. But now, it looks like he's ready to dominate in year two, according to Chiefs center Creed Humphrey.
Catching up on the Chiefs Pressers from yesterday….
— DMac Wake (@DMacWake316) July 31, 2026
Given UDFA OT Kahlil Benson is getting his 2nd straight day at RT I found Creed Humphrey praising his hard work and power (especially in his hands) worth noting…plus some love for Josh “Gold Jacket” Simmons Kansas City’s LT… pic.twitter.com/GoDEO4UM3C
Creed Humphrey gushes about Josh Simmons' potential
The Chiefs are in desperate need of some momentum, and they're banking on Simmons to anchor things on the left side of the line, with Kingsley Suamataia manning the left guard spot right next to him, as well as Creed Humphrey holding down the fort as the best center in football.
Simmons worked out tirelessly during the offseason. He got leaner and more muscular, which isn't always the way to go when you play in the trenches. However, reports from training camp show that he's bulked up again, putting those concerns to rest.
I know he tugged his jersey, but peep Josh Simmons making Karlaftis touch earth. Man is a unit!
— Parker Buchele (@ParkerBuchele) July 31, 2026
The Chiefs let Jawaan Taylor go and didn't make any move to address the right tackle position. That should only put more weight on their former first-round pick, an athletic freak whose only Achilles heel might be injury concerns.
A torn patellar tendon in his final season at Ohio State made him slip to the Chiefs' lap late in the first round. It may have been a blessing in disguise, but it also sounded the alarms when a dislocated and fractured wrist ruled him out of the rest of his rookie season.
Simmons staying on the field will be paramount to the offense, especially given the shortage of potential options to replace him as Mahomes' blindside protector. If he's out, the Chiefs will either have to turn to Esa Pole, Ethan Driskell, or pursue expensive free-agency options like Taylor Decker.
The offensive line will be under a ton of pressure from the start, especially with teams trying to force Mahomes to roll out of the pocket with his limited mobility. As such, Simmons' development and rave reviews might actually be the most crucial yet somewhat overlooked storyline in Chiefs training camp right now.
Add us as a preferred source on Google