Those who watched the Kansas City Chiefs battle the Buffalo Bills on Sunday could see that the offensive line was unable to give quarterback Patrick Mahomes a clean pocket for most of the game. Following the 28-21 loss in Highmark Stadium, questions about the long-term strength of what has been an overall sturdy protection unit are inevitably resurfacing. Perhaps Josh Simmons can provide some answers. The rookie left tackle has returned to the team, per insider Jordan Schultz.
Simmons, after missing the previous four games due to a personal family matter, is in the Chiefs’ facility on Monday. If he can quickly shake off the rust, KC will look to him to give the O-Line a huge boost. The Chiefs recognized the 6-foot-5, 310-pounder as a potential X-factor when they selected him with the final pick of the first round in April’s NFL Draft. If not for a season-ending knee injury in 2024, he could have potentially come off the board much earlier.
Simmons started rewarding the organization’s faith before stepping away for the last month. He has allowed one sack and 12 total pressures in 314 offensive snaps played this season, per Pro Football Focus. Fans generally believe in the interior offensive line, which is comprised of All-Pro center Creed Humphrey and guards Trey Smith and Kingsley Suamataia. They still have concerns about the outside, however.
Protecting Mahomes is the foremost priority. The Bills pressured the three-time Super Bowl MVP on 52.6 percent of his dropbacks, according to Next Gen Stats, putting the offense on its heels until the fourth quarter. Josh Simmons has the ability to alter that statistic if the two teams meet again in the playoffs.
Since the Chiefs are 5-4 and currently in third place in their own division, the former Ohio State standout’s return could be pivotal.
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