As the NFL offseason continues, teams are gearing up for training camp. Not only will that allow veterans to get back into the swing of things, but camp presents an opportunity for young players to make an early impact.
For the Kansas City Chiefs, rookie offensive tackle Josh Simmons has no shortage of buzz. The first-round 2025 NFL Draft pick has already gotten high praise from teammate George Karlaftis. Now, he’s receiving flowers from offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and tight end Travis Kelce.
A July 9 episode of Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast with his brother Jason added to the Simmons chatter.
Matt Nagy Gushes Over ‘Rare’ Athletic Traits of Josh Simmons
The elder Kelce brother compared Simmons’ athletic profile to that of Jason Peters or Trent Williams. Nagy raved about the same fluidity and movement skills.
“Yeah, I really love his athleticism, you’re right,” Nagy said. “I mean, his ability to really show his strength and athleticism on the edge. One-on-one, being able to recover if he gets beat, it’s rare.”
As with any rookie, Simmons will undoubtedly experience some growing pains. It’s a natural part of entering the NFL. The Chiefs’ offense, specifically, is a tough one to get down.
Luckily for Kansas City, Simmons is a tremendous student of the game. He’s doing everything in his power to hit the ground running.
“He’s gonna really put it together,” Nagy said. “I think right now, Jason, as you know, man, just understanding the calls. All the different calls you can have at the line of scrimmage, when you’re going to squeeze. He’s really, really, been locked in. It’s been great to see him in meetings and out of practice. He’s almost sometimes a little too serious, because he’s really locked in. It’s good to see.”
Travis Kelce Thinks Chiefs’ First-Rounder Is ‘Already’ a Professional
Simmons, the 32nd overall pick back in April, is facing a lofty set of expectations. It’s telling that even after suffering a patellar tendon knee injury, the Ohio State product still went in the first round. If not for the medical concerns, he was widely projected to go in the top half of Day 1.
With OTAs and minicamp in the books, Simmons’ next test will be training camp. Kelce, his teammate on offense, is already amazed at the work the 22-year-old is putting in to be ready.
“That’s what blew me away,” Kelce said. “Everyone’s talking about how athletic he is, and you see that immediately. Seeing him go through drills and how comfortable he is, how great of a base he has and everything like that. Even when he’s just working some of the scout team stuff because his knee isn’t just quite back for him to go full-go yet, he’s dialed in. He’s giving good looks, he’s making sure he’s helping. He is a professional already. He is so bought in, and he understands – I think – what situation he’s in, being that big of a pick for the Chiefs. I think he’s actually lightyears ahead of where I was imagining he’d be.”
As things currently stand, Simmons is locked into a position battle. At camp, he’ll get a chance to compete with Jaylon Moore for a starting spot. Moore, a longtime backup for Williams on the San Francisco 49ers, was signed to a two-year deal during the offseason.
The left tackle position was a major shortcoming for the Chiefs in 2024. They’re doing their due diligence to ensure it isn’t the case in 2025. Simmons will be a part of that equation.
Nagy and Kelce’s analysis hints at his outlook remaining overwhelmingly positive.
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