The Kansas City Chiefs have several position battles to sort out at training camp. Contrary to what many expected, however, left tackle is seeming less and less likely to be one of them.
For yet another practice, rookie Josh Simmons got first-team reps at the position. The former Ohio State standout is making a name for himself this summer. Not only is he receiving plenty of work, but there’s a real chance he ends up the club’s starter this regular season.
Andy Reid Provides Positive Report Card for Rookie LT Josh Simmons
Head coach Andy Reid, normally one to temper expectations, hasn’t done much of that in the last month-plus. Speaking to the media after Friday’s Chiefs practice, the future Hall of Fame head coach tipped his cap to Simmons for his progress.
“First of all, he’s getting a lot of reps, which I think is important for a rookie,” Reid said. “So he’s been in there consistently, showing up every day and working and not taking plays off or any of that. He’s a worker. He’s willing to do it. It’s just a matter of, you’ve got to keep on going. He’s done a nice job with what we’ve asked [of] him. He’s working on all the fundamentals and techniques, so that’s a challenge for him.”
Kansas City knows it simply must solve the left tackle puzzle this season. Despite reaching Super Bowl LIX, the Chiefs got dismantled by the Philadelphia Eagles partially because that position was a glaring red flag. That prompted the franchise to sign Jaylon Moore to a two-year deal in free agency, subsequently setting a floor for Patrick Mahomes‘ blind side.
Simmons, if all pans out, raises the ceiling. There’s still a considerable amount of time between now and Week 1, but the arrow is pointing in the right direction.
Simmons Confident in Knee Recovery & Immediate Future
It’s been a long time coming for Simmons, who is finally reaping the rewards of his offseason work. After managing to build considerable buzz in 2023, his 2024 campaign saw him log 306 snaps at left tackle and emerge as a seemingly sure-fire premium draft pick. Unfortunately, a patellar tendon injury cut his final collegiate season short.
That injury, especially for offensive linemen, can threaten careers. It certainly threatens NFL Draft stock. Simmons fell to the end of the first round, and the Chiefs didn’t hesitate to swoop him up. The rest is history.
Speaking not too long after Reid, Simmons revealed he was rehabbing his knee every single day post-surgery. That commitment to recovery is what kept him confident in being able to hit the ground running once restrictions were removed.
“It was more about how I felt,” Simmons said. “I knew I was putting in a lot of work at Ohio State with Stew [Adam Stewart] and then coming here and having Julie [Frymyer] and Rick [Burkholder] and all those [people]. I knew if I just showed up and put the work in, it was going to line up perfectly.”
How’s Simmons’ knee holding up after almost two full weeks of camp? It couldn’t be doing any better.
“As we speak, I haven’t felt any issues with it yet,” Simmons said. “Neal ElAttrache is platinum standard, so I tip my hat off to that dude right there.”
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