Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season is just days away, and unfortunately the Kansas City Chiefs are dealing with concerns around left tackle Josh Simmons' availability. It's a familiar theme after the tackle missed time last season due to both a personal matter and an unrelated injury later in the season. While it's certainly not time to give up on Simmons, far from it, he's very talented. The warning signs, however, are there, especially with Patrick Mahomes coming off a torn ACL and the need to protect the accomplished signal-caller.
Despite the trade for left tackle Diego Pounds, the Chiefs remain without a clear backup plan if Simmons were to miss any time. Which once again puts more pressure on the shoulders of Mahomes, who has so often been asked to put this franchise on his back that no other quarterback in the league has proven capable of carrying.
We watched this play out in Kansas City's pair of Super Bowl losses over the past few years, when the franchise was soundly beaten because Mahomes was given zero time in the pocket and forced to take an unfair level of punishment. This was the reward he was handed for dragging an underwhelming roster that far.
Chiefs must be ready to pivot into emergency left tackle plan if Simmons disappoints
Simmons not being completely healthy to start the season leaves reasonable doubt as to what his standing with the organization will be moving forward. Kansas City has a high level of investment in the 2025 first-round selection and every reason to believe that things can still fall their way long-term. However, the more important point here is the fact that whether Simmons struggles or misses time due to injuries, the Chiefs no longer have the same margin for error.
In 525 reps last year at left tackle, Simmons gave up just two sacks, according to PFF. There is no question his ceiling is as high as they come, but the floor, as we've seen, can be pretty low. Simmons might be an exciting young prospect, but that shouldn't change how the franchise approaches early-season decisions.
The Chiefs now understand the gravity of asking Mahomes to do too much for too long, and this means having a capable blindside protector. Whether that is Simmons or injuries requiring a further move remains to be seen. Either way, Kansas City cannot stand idle if this problem persists into the lead-up to the Chiefs' home opener on Sept. 14.
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