Coming out of the bye, Kansas City Chiefs fans were hoping that two offensive starters were going to end up healthy enough to play in Week 6. As it turns out, both left tackle Josh Simmons and wide receciver Rashee Rice need more time.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid confirmed that both Simmons and Rice were designated as "out" for the Week 6 game against the visiting Los Angeles Chargers. That taxes an offensive unit hoping to maintain its early-season momentum after a week away.
Let's take a look at each injury and what it means for the Chiefs versus the Chargers.
The impact of Rashee Rice's injury
Rice was out of practice all week, so it's hard to tell exactly how he's coming along. It's no surprise to see the Chiefs hold him out of Week 6, but a hamstring injury can make it tricky to calculate any sort of recovery timetable.
Reid spoke about Rice's status. When asked about the team's decision to not place him on injured reserve. Reid said, "He's out there wanting to jump in on everything. He'll be all right. You never know about these, but he's a pretty fast healer."
With Rice officially out, Jalen Royals is the next man up for the Chiefs, a wideout with a similar skill set who could play a bigger role than anyone expects. Reid praised Royals' effort and focus behind the scenes, and it could be the opportunity he's needed after largely sitting out his first season on the bench in '25.
What it means for Josh Simmons to remain out
When it comes to Simmons' absence, the truth is that the Chiefs were already used to this scenario, so there aren't any real changes up front to consider. Kahlil Benson will make his fifth consecutive start at left tackle after being thrust into the role in Week 1. Jaylon Moore maintains a hold on the right tackle role, with some mix of Josh Ezeudu or Diego Pounds as the backups on game day.
What's notable for Week 6 is that the Chiefs could have utilized an extra roster spot for a month and a half at this point in the season if Simmons had been placed on injured reserve. That said, they've made it this far, and they clearly want to keep the door open for his immediate return, when healthy. As they should.
The good news is that Simmons was back in practice this week, albeit on a limited basis. Reid did say that he's been "getting better as we go here" in reference to Simmons. "He got some work in. He didn't work in the team periods, but that was the idea, though, that we went out with just to get some base—some fundamentals, some technique—just to get that back," said Reid.
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