It seems the Kansas City Chiefs may be without standout rookie left tackle Josh Simmons for a bit longer. According to ESPN's Nate Taylor, the franchise doesn't have any idea when Simmons will rejoin them after leaving to attend to a personal matter. Taylor added he wouldn't be surprised if veteran Jaylon Moore starts again on Sunday as well, only adding to the building belief the rookie won't suit up against the Las Vegas Raiders.
There is no question that fans and coaches badly want to see the rookie back in the starting lineup after a surprise Week 6 absence connected to a family emergency. But between Taylor's report and Andy Reid's non-answer when addressing Simmons' status, all signs point to another absence in Week 7.
Chiefs Will Be Just Fine Without Josh Simmons in Week 7
Without knowing exactly why Simmons is away from the team, it's hard for anyone outside the organization to speculate too much about his status. But Reid refusing to comment and simply mentioning that Brett Veach "is handling all that," it certainly doesn't sound like the situation is resolved. And even if Simmons is back within the next couple days, starting a rookie at left tackle on a short week of practice is risky. But the Chiefs' offense should be fine with Moore starting in Week 6.
Moore received a solid overall grade of 67.7 from PFF in his start against the Lions, and while that was inflated by some strong run blocking, his struggles in pass protection would likely be lessened with the team having a full week to prepare for his starting. Maxx Crosby is obviously a threat for the Raiders, but they don't have anyone on the other side to balance things out. That means the Chiefs can scheme to keep Moore out of 1-on-1 situations with Crosby when the two are lined up across from each other.
Mahomes might face a couple more pressures than he would have with Simmons, but the downgrade shouldn't be too significant.
Of course, there also needs to be an understanding that this is just a game and everything important off the field will and should come first. One Chiefs fan offered the perfect sentiment in response to the news, pointing out that details shouldn't matter, but fans should focus their attention on sending Simmons prayers and well wishes.
This is the perfect outlook for Chiefs fans to have ahead of this weekend's game. Whatever is happening in Simmons' personal life is far more important than the Chiefs having their starting left tackle for Week 7. This isn't to lessen the inconvenience or importance that the standout rookie has on the offensive line, but rather to point out the stark reality that this is just a game.
Chiefs Fans Should Continue to Send Josh Simmons Well Wishes as Absence Continues
What the rookie's availability will be beyond this week remains a question mark. Regardless, Kansas City has found its left tackle of the future and can buy plenty of time with the capable Moore until Simmons is ready to return to the starting lineup and can focus on football. The mental side of preparing for a defensive front is one of the more overlooked pieces of the game. If your head isn't fully invested in the task at hand, that is when injuries can happen.
Fans expect players to be machines, living and breathing the sport, making it easy to forget that what is happening off the field is far more important. As that particular fan's stance on the matter shows, the overwhelming sentiment from Chiefs supporters is one of concern and hope that Simmons and his family are safe.
This is the only mindset to have as Kansas City prepares for Las Vegas, seemingly, without the rookie. There is no other appropriate choice, as fans can only offer well wishes and hope that Simmons can soon return to the Chiefs' lineup.