Kahlil Benson belongs.
That short sentence says it all, really. After making eight starts in nine weeks for the Kansas City Chiefs, Benson has proven he belongs. And he should be a much, much bigger story both among the team's fervent fan base and across the NFL.
Perhaps that's starting to happen. Bill Barnwell of ESPN gave away some imaginary NFL midseason awards with Week 10 coming into view, and he handed Benson his Offensive Rookie of the Year vote. He ranked Benson first over Cleveland Browns wide receiver Denzel Boston, who has the most receiving yards of any first-year player, and Tennessee Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate.
Benson already was honored as the AFC's Offensive Rookie of the Month in September. Now, further accolades are coming his way after the second month. Perhaps others are catching on.
Benson is the best story of the Chiefs' season
As amazing as it's been to watch Patrick Mahomes return healthy from the first snap of the season after a torn ACL, as exciting as it is to see Travis Kelce so effective at the age of 37, the most important story of the Chiefs' season is Benson's arrival.
That might sound funny to those who are clued in to the Chiefs' biggest roster needs. Offensive tackle is the team's greatest weakness right now. Left tackle Josh Simmons is on injured reserve (back) with serious questions about whether or not he'll return this year (or at all). Right tackle Jaylon Moore has dealt with a concussion before returning to injure his ankle. Yet even when healthy, his performance is below-average-to-average.
Losing both starting tackles is the worst storyline to put in front of a freshly-rehabbed Mahomes. But somehow the Chiefs stumbled into Kahlil Benson.
The most unexpected surprise
Don't forget Benson's origin story: an experienced offensive lineman from Indiana (mostly) with 25 starts at right tackle and 8 at right guard. The pre-draft projections that he was undraftable proved true. He only landed with the Chiefs on a tryout basis at rookie minicamp shortly after draft weekend.
From there, however, Chiefs coaches took notice, and Benson only needed that shot. It became clear the team loved what they had in Benson, and they began to clear the way for him to do more as the summer wore on. General manager Brett Veach traded away Wanya Morris. He released Esa Pole. Andy Reid made everyone scoot over so Benson could practice at right tackle and then right guard and then left tackle, depending on the training camp injury situation.
While no one could have predicted that Benson would be LT1 through the first half of the season, it was at least apparent that the Chiefs wanted to see how much he could handle—wherever that might be. And then Simmons was sidelined in mid-August with a back injury, giving Benson a full-time place to land.
The numbers behind Benson's unlikely success
Benson's not a perfect left tackle. The NFL's better pass-rush units will get the best of him at times, as illustrated by the Seahawks in Week 7 or the Jets in Week 9. But he's also been better than most seem to realize.
First, Benson's durability has been his best asset, having never missed a single snap through the first nine weeks of the season. For a line that's watched every other tackle struggle to stay in the lineup, Benson's steady presence has been a godsend.
Second, Benson's run blocking is rock solid, which Barnwell notes in his column. "The Chiefs are also averaging 6.3 yards per carry on runs to the outside on the left side, the second-best mark in the league," he writes. When a team employs Kenneth Walker and Emmett Johnson, that's a plus.
There are very real issues in pass protection. Pro Football Focus has him pegged with 22 pressures allowed on 291 opportunities, or just over 7 percent of the time. That's high. That mirrors the eye test after watching the league's better pass rushers get the best of him and/or Moore at times. And Mahomes also makes it easier on his tackles by being as slippery as he is. That said, the Chiefs are trusting Benson on an island the vast majority of the time (84 percent, as Barnwell notes).
It's also important to note that Benson has two official penalties this year, both holding calls, one of which came in Week 1—his first ever start at left tackle going back to even his collegiate days. Since then, he's had one other holding call and that's it. No false starts. Nothing.
The real picture for Benson
Kahlil Benson has not made Chiefs Kingdom forget about Josh Simmons' potential. At some point, the franchise will figure a way to upgrade that left side. But Benson is tailor-made for the right side for the long-term if K.C. ever figures things out with Simmons. And until then, he's happy to protect Mahomes' blindside.
Somehow, the Chiefs found a diamond in the rough at an impossible position to fill in Benson. He's beaten the odds to not only make the team but provide solid play for them at a premium position while facing a tremendously steep learning curve. It's the stuff of legends, which is why those with a deep respect for an understanding of what's happening in K.C. have hailed him as one of the NFL's top rookies.
K.C. would be lost without him. He's the story of the season for Chiefs Kingdom. And there's likely plenty more accolades coming his way as the season wears on.
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