I won’t waste any time in saying this: I am a big fan of the Josh Simmons pick for the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs traded back one spot at the end of the first round at the NFL Draft last night, selecting Simmons, an offensive tackle from Ohio State, with the 32nd overall pick.
It’s a move that comes with some risks—there are legitimate injury concerns—but it’s a pick that also comes with a whole lot of upside.
The pick makes sense for the Chiefs on multiple levels, both in the short term and long term.
Most crucially, taking Simmons addresses Kansas City’s single biggest need from last season: the offensive line. Specifically, left tackle was a perpetual position of pain and problems last season.
Between Kingsley Suamataia, Wanya Morris, D.J. Humphries, and eventually Joe Thuney, the Chiefs never really found a solution there that worked. It hurt them big time against the Eagles in the Super Bowl, exactly how O-line woes were Kansas City’s downfall against Tampa Bay four years earlier.
Simmons started his career at right tackle at San Diego State before shifting to the left side when he transferred to Ohio State. The 6’5”, 310-pounder made 19 starts at LT for the Buckeyes before a knee injury in October ended his senior year.
That knee injury is a huge reason why Simmons was available at the end of the first round in the first place. He tore his patellar tendon against Oregon—an injury he is still recovering from.
If it weren’t for that, Simmons likely would have been drafted much higher, well out of Kansas City’s reach. Dane Brugler from The Athletic had him ranked at No. 20 on his top 300 Big Board, coming in as the third best OT prospect available. The upside is huge.
That injury, of course, raises questions about Simmons’ short-term availability and long-term potential. But Chiefs head coach Andy Reid doesn’t seem concerned. “Josh, we felt, was a phenomenal athlete. He would have been a higher pick, obviously, if he’d not been hurt,” Reid said in a press conference after the first round of the draft.
“[Athletic trainer] Rick Burkholder has done a bunch of work on him and he’s in a good place. He had a patellar tendon injury in his left knee, and it’s healed well. He'll definitely be ready for training camp.”
Given Kansas City’s struggles on the O-line last season and the way it subsequently hindered the way the Chiefs’ offensive flow, the priority this season had to be protecting Patrick Mahomes at all costs.
The Chiefs have addressed that need, first with the signing of Jaylon Moore from the San Francisco 49ers, and now by picking Simmons.
It’s a great combination. Moore gives Kansas City an immediate Week 1 starter at left tackle. At the same time, he provides an important buffer for Simmons to get healthy and adjust to the NFL.
Moore’s presence means KC doesn’t need to rush Simmons into the lineup. The Chiefs had to have rookie Kingsley Suamataia as their starting left tackle last season, and it did not go well. They aren’t making that same mistake again.
Kansas City doesn’t need Simmons to make an impact this year—what’s essential is that he gets healthy and becomes the long-term solution on the left side. And in an ideal world, Simmons will be ready to step into the starting role by the time Moore’s two-year deal is up—maybe even sooner than that.
Simmons will also, hopefully, end Kansas City’s cycle of needing to pay premium money to address left tackle and the lack of a long-term solution. The Chiefs will have him on a rookie contract for at least four years, giving the team money to spend at other pressing positions.
There’s another bonus from last night, too. By trading down one spot, the Chiefs not only got their guy, but they also netted an extra fifth-round pick in this year’s draft (pick No. 164 overall).
Left tackle isn’t the only need the Chiefs have—running back, wide receiver, and defensive tackle all need addressing—and an extra pick gives Kansas City another chance to address those position groups, too.
Kansas City didn’t have a pick between the fourth and seventh rounds, and now it does. It could be used as part of a package to move up the order, or it’s another dart Brett Veach and the team can throw at a prospect.
No matter how you look at it, selecting Simmons in the first round makes total sense for Kansas City. When you factor in the positional hole he fills, Kansas City’s roster construction, and what it opens up for other potential picks—it’s a slam dunk.