The Kansas City Chiefs have struggled with subpar blindside protection for most of the Patrick Mahomes era. That's why rookie offensive tackle Josh Simmons looked like a blessing after so many years of struggles.
Unfortunately, the young tackle hasn't been on the field for the past four games, and while the Chiefs had gotten by just fine without him, Sunday's heartbreaking 21-28 loss to the Buffalo Bills highlighted how vital he is for this team due to how dire the left tackle situation is without him.
Josh Simmons Can't Return to Chiefs Soon Enough
The Bills haven't been as stout on defense this season, yet they kept Mahomes on his toes all day long on Sunday. They kept putting pressure on the Chiefs' signal-caller, and he continued to run into collapsed pockets, the defense, or had to get rid of the football in no time.
Veteran LT Jaylon Moore had done a good-enough job of holding down the fort until the loss to the Bills. He got beaten over and over in the defeat, and while he's a serviceable backup, he's clearly not a long-term answer at the position.
Things aren't much better on the other side of the offensive line. Jawaan Taylor has always been a liability. He's a decent blocker when he's not getting called for penalties, but he hurt his ankle in the fourth quarter and wasn't able to return. His replacement, Wanya Morris, who has failed to live up to the expectations and lost his spot multiple times since he entered the league back in 2023, struggled as Taylor's fill-in.
Fortunately, Chiefs owner/CEO Clark Hunt hinted at Simmons' potential return after the bye week. While he didn't want to commit to any timelines or make any promises, it seems like it won't be much longer before he's back on the field.
"There's an understanding by both parties as to where he is, and we're hopeful to have him back with the team at some time in the future,” Hunt said, per KSHB.
The Bills disrupted Mahomes' rhythm for most of the game. He completed just 15 of 34 passes for 250 passing yards and one interception, and he got away with a couple of would-be picks and a potential fumble lost. It isn't hard to imagine he would've had a better day if he had Simmons, who's logged a 63.9 Pro Football Focus grade and a 71.2 pass blocking grade through the first five starts of his career.
Things won't get much easier for the Chiefs after the bye, and they still have to face some of the best defensive lines in the game in the second half of the season. They will return from their bye with a road date against a Denver Broncos team that leads the league in sacks (40.0) and has given up the third-fewest yards per game at 279.9. Things could get pretty ugly if Simmons isn't out there.