There's no official timeline for Josh Simmons' return from a back injury. The Kansas City Chiefs' left tackle has missed the first four games of the season after coming down with the ailment on August 18, and reports aren't all that hopeful for his immediate availability after the team's bye in Week 5. That said, as he does come back to the field, the question of what happens to his replacement, Kahlil Benson, is interesting.
Benson has done a respectable job holding down the left tackle role thus far, but Simmons is not in any danger of losing his starting role. That said, Benson was always in the mix for right tackle reps in the Chiefs' preseason, which could bring that competition back into focus with incumbent Jaylon Moore. But there's another layer that could be affected when the dust settles and Simmons is healthy.
Kahlil Benson's experience at guard adds another possibility
Let's not forget that the Chiefs experimented with Benson inside when right guard Trey Smith missed time during training camp and the final preseason games with a hip injury. Moore stayed at right tackle while Benson slid to guard before Simmons was injured and Benson slid back outside opposite Moore.
If Simmons and Moore have the tackle spots locked down with all players readily available, Benson could become a nice boost of confidence to the offensive interior. With Smith already having missed time to injury last year and earlier this summer, and with the recent benching of left guard Kingsley Suamataia, the Chiefs' interior offensive line depth has already been in the spotlight a bit more than expected—and it's not that pretty of a picture.
Mike Caliendo subbed in as the left guard in Week 4 when Suamataia was unexpectedly left out—which head coach Andy Reid still hasn't discussed in detail—and the results were as expected. Former Chiefs lineman Mitchell Schwartz would say the naysayers were too loud, but no one in Chiefs Kingdom would mind if the Chiefs had someone with a higher ceiling behind the starting trio of Suamataia, center Creed Humphrey, and Smith.
Chiefs have options inside but few proven answers
Caliendo and Nourzad, a former fifth-round pick in 2023, are the primary backups inside along with Joshua Ezeudu. The Chiefs traded for the latter shortly before the season began to bolster the depth, but they still went with Caliendo for four quarters when Suamataia was out, so it's hard to tell how much confidence they have in Ezeudu. That brings us back to the idea of Benson back inside.
Nourzad is the backup center. Ezeudu can play outside if needed, although the Chiefs also traded for Diego Pounds to help there. Caliendo is a clear coaches' favorite with the most experience of anyone. But Benson was also a favored prospect this preseason who quickly earned the trust of K.C.'s decision-makers. Perhaps the training camp reps at guard were all about getting him the most work they could while also preparing Jaylon Moore for the season. Perhaps not.
If Benson doesn't end up with a starting spot when and if Simmons is healthy, it's quite possible that he's more than just the team's swing tackle. Maybe he even becomes an option to shore up the interior and give the Chiefs more options in a pinch. During a long season, flexibility and depth are of utmost importance.
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