Not only did the Kansas City Chiefs have some injuries to monitor coming into their Week 11 loss to the Denver Broncos, but they have a new one coming out of the contest.
It’s only one ailment on the docket, but head coach Andy Reid confirmed a development that’s worth monitoring. That’s especially true given the nature of the injury.
As Kansas City turns around quickly for Sunday’s Week 12 outing against the Indianapolis Colts, the status of left guard Kingsley Suamataia will be followed closely.
Andy Reid Confirms Head Injury for LG Kingsley Suamataia in Broncos Loss
Speaking to the media on Sunday evening, Reid acknowledged Suamataia’s head injury. According to him, his young offensive lineman hit his head on the ground in the second half.
“As far as the injuries go, really Kingsley was the only one who got hurt on the interception,” Reid said. “He hit his head on the turf.”
A quick look at the tape signals the play that potentially could’ve been the culprit. With just over 10 minutes left in the third quarter, quarterback Patrick Mahomes was intercepted by Broncos defensive back Ja’Quan McMillian. Suamataia, in pursuit of McMillian’s return, attempted a tackle around the 37-yard line. Laying out for an unsuccessful tackle, he promptly landed face-first on the turf, as Reid alluded to.
Shortly thereafter, the Chiefs announced that Suamataia was in concussion protocol. At 5:46 p.m. CT, he was downgraded to out for the remainder of the contest.
Veteran Mike Caliendo filled in at left guard the rest of the way. He played 20 snaps in Sunday’s 22-19 loss, good for 29% of those available.
Assessing Chiefs’ Offensive Line Picture Entering Week 12
If the Chiefs are to be without Suamataia for any period of time, it’ll be a significant blow. His participation in practice throughout the week is worth keeping an eye on. The NFL’s return to play protocol requires multiple hoops to jump through, and no two concussion or concussion-adjacent injuries are the same. Every player recovers differently, thus making it impossible to pinpoint a potential return probability for Week 12.
Suamataia, 22, joined the organization in the second round of last year’s NFL Draft. The BYU product came into the league as a left tackle, only to flop at the position early in his rookie campaign. Kansas City moved him to left guard to end the year, doubling down on the transition during the offseason. Starting all 10 games this season, he ranks 28th out of 79 qualified guards in Pro Football Focus overall grade.
With the return of rookie left tackle Josh Simmons in Week 11, the rest of the starting line is healthy. He, center Creed Humphrey, right guard Trey Smith and right tackle Jawaan Taylor are good to go. Backup swing tackle Jaylon Moore popped up on the Sunday injury report, but his illness likely won’t linger moving forward.
As far as backups are concerned, Caliendo is the primary name to watch regarding Suamataia’s injury. He played 237 snaps a year ago, posting a 49.0 PFF grade. This year, in 151 reps, he’s up to a career-high 74.2 mark. He boasts some versatility up front and can be a reliable reserve. Elsewhere, 2024 fifth-round pick Hunter Nourzad is a center in Kansas City but could shift to guard if absolutely necessary.
Kansas City has its work cut out if Suamataia doesn’t play in Week 12. Currently ranking third in ESPN’s pass block win rate but 22nd in run block win rate as a team, players like Suamataia set the tone as road-graders in the latter area.
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