Josh Simmons Reportedly 'On Track' to Be Chiefs' Starting LT Amid Injury Return

The Kansas City Chiefs' first-round pick at this year's NFL draft, Josh Simmons, is expected to make an immediate impact.

According to reporter Jordan Schultz, a team source said that the Chiefs have been "impressed with him all summer, and he's on track to start at left tackle in Week 1."

Simmons dropped in the draft due to a serious patellar tendon injury, but the talent is evident. Earlier in July, former NFL center Jason Kelce compared him to San Francisco 49ers superstar Trent Williams. High praise, but Simmons' teammates tended to agree.

"Jason knows what he’s talking about when he’s talking about alignment, right? But, you know, there’s definitely a lot of shades [of Williams] there," defensive end George Karlaftis said on FS1's Speak (h/t Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk). "Just with the athleticism alone, his size, I think that's a fair comparison, just off the intangibles alone, you know."

He did offer one caveat.

"Let's see how he develops," Karlaftis added. "I think he has all the tools, the intangibles, and the work ethic to be as great as he wants to be. Yeah, it's all about putting in the work at the end of the day. So, I would agree with Jason's comparison, for sure."

After the Chiefs were dominated in the trenches by the Philadelphia Eagles' defense in last year's Super Bowl, giving up six sacks, they reworked the offensive line. That included drafting Simmons, trading Joe Thuney and signing Jaylon Moore. Thuney will be replaced by 2024 second-rounder Kingsley Suamataia, who was initially selected as an offensive tackle but struggled in that role, with the hope that a move inside will bolster his play.

Patrick Mahomes can overcome a lot behind center, and the Chiefs have weapons for him on the outside. But the offensive line was exposed by the Eagles, and if the changes Kansas City made to that unit don't prove to be upgrades, the Chiefs may run into problems much sooner than the Super Bowl.

Much hinges on either Simmons or Moore seizing the left tackle job and improving the position from a year ago, alongside Suamataia adjusting well to his new role. Thus far, it sounds as though Simmons is holding up his end of the deal.