Kansas City Chiefs OTAs: Latest Josh Simmons injury news feeds rumors about his status on the team's 2025 depth chart
Will Kansas City Chiefs' first-round draft pick Josh Simmons become the team's starting left tackle in 2025? The latest from Organized Team Activities (OTAs) suggests that health won't prevent the former Ohio State Buckeye from becoming the starter in Kansas City before the 2025 NFL season arrives. He's recovering from a patella tendon injury suffered in […]
Will Kansas City Chiefs' first-round draft pick Josh Simmons become the team's starting left tackle in 2025? The latest from Organized Team Activities (OTAs) suggests that health won't prevent the former Ohio State Buckeye from becoming the starter in Kansas City before the 2025 NFL season arrives. He's recovering from a patella tendon injury suffered in his final collegiate season, but he's surprisingly ahead of where even the team expected him to be.
Speaking to media members following Thursday's practice, the third and final practice of the week, Chiefs HC Andy Reid updated reporters on Simmons' health and status in OTAs.
"Yeah, so he's one that didn't work this week, but he's been doing everything up to this point," Reid explained. "He's actually further ahead than I thought he was. We might actually be able to get (Josh Simmons working in OTAs). Originally, we weren't going to have him in the Phase III part at all, other than individual stuff, so we kept him out of the team stuff for that. But he did all of Phase II and did a good job with what we've done. We've just got to get him in with the defense."
While Simmons did not participate in 11-on-11, 7-on-7, or 9-on-7 team drills, he participated fully in individual and group warm-ups with the offensive line. Several reporters, like Andy Reid, were surprised by how much Simmons could move around and do in his return from injury.
It remains to be seen whether the Chiefs can get Simmons on the field and doing team drills before OTAs conclude in June. No matter what, Reid says Simmons is tracking to be healthy for training camp when it begins in July.
"I think, for sure, (he'll be ready) for (training) camp," Reid said. "We might be able to get something out of them in the team periods in Phase III here. So that's a positive. We weren't expecting to be able to do that, but he did a really good job in the rehab stuff. And the doctor who did his surgery did a nice job."
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes insists Josh Simmons looks the part and is doing all the right things
Is Simmons shaping up to be the starter in Kansas City? ESPN's Adam Teicher believed that to be the case in a recent appearance on a local radio station. I felt the same way in my recent depth chart projection. Andy Reid's comments on his health, combined with what Chiefs starting QB Patrick Mahomes had to say, are a glowing endorsement of the rookies' abilities. It all suggests that Simmons won't be kept on the bench for too long.
"I mean, he's built like a left tackle," Mahomes said of Simmons. "I think that's the biggest thing you see. I mean, obviously, we're building him up with coming off the injury, but he looks great. I mean, he's moving well, he's doing all the right things. He's working extremely hard. Whenever I go to the training room, he's in the training room, working to try to get back on that field as quickly as possible."
Whether Simmons slots right in as a starter or Jaylon Moore gets the starting nod, Mahomes recognizes the competition they've created at the position as a positive. He also feels that iron will sharpen iron this offseason when Simmons and others can face a defensive line that has added several new faces through free agency and the NFL draft. That opportunity won't come until the pads come on at training camp.
"I think (Brett) Veach and Coach (Andy) Reid and all those guys, they brought in competition," Mahomes concluded. "They want guys to go out there and be the best they can possibly be. And I'm excited for us to get through training camp and get to go against our defensive line, which will be a really good defensive line. It'll be a great test for those guys to try to prepare for the season."
‘He can be one of the best receivers in the league’ – Chiefs WR Rashee Rice’s 2025 injury outlook better than ever despite absence from OTAs
Kansas City Chiefs WR Rashee Rice missed Week 1 of OTAs with an illness, but Patrick Mahomes had some great things to say about Rice’s recovery from the knee injury.
