The Kansas City Chiefs are ten days away from their season opener against the Denver Broncos. While the team is off until Monday for a quick walk-through and film session, All-Pro Guard Trey Smith set the tone for an offensive line that has one serious question that needs to be answered before the season opener.
Updated: 9/24/26 1:00 PM CST
Guard Trey Smith has been an elite interior offensive lineman since he stepped onto the Chiefs’ practice field in August of 2021. The former sixth-round draft pick from Tennessee came to the Chiefs as a talented player who proved early in his tenure that he could be a force.
His work ethic, dedication to staying in shape, and willingness to play through injuries and set the standard for his fellow linemen have all the makings of a man who will play football at the highest level.
When he spoke to the media on Thursday, Smith told reporters he was good to go despite his hip flare-up. In fact, he pointed out that if you play in the NFL, you are never 100% healthy and you will always feel the pain of a 17-game schedule. That sentiment was pointed because he spoke the truth about injuries in the NFL.
Everyone can agree Simmons is the key to everything this team does on offense. When he plays, he dominates, but when he’s not available, the offense struggles.
The Chiefs tweaked their depth at tackle by signing undrafted free agent Khalil Benson and trading for another undrafted free agent, Diego Pounds, from Baltimore. Jaylon Moore remains the swing back-up, but if Simmons is out, that throws a wrench into the offense.
Add that to the fact that Patrick Mahomes has miraculously rehabbed from a double ligament surgery nine months ago and is available for the season opener – simply is a marvel in his work ethic and drive.
Smith reiterated his own position on rehabbing and dealing with injuries, but we won’t have a game-week practice until next Thursday, so unless Reid says Simmons is good to go, fans will feel uneasy about the opener.
Last season, Simmons left the team for personal reasons. That gap caused the Chiefs’ offensive line to struggle and opened the door to questions about Simmons and his pre-draft evaluation.
Remember, he lasted until the final pick of the first round in 2025, and while Chiefs fans were ecstatic, 31 teams passed on him. Kansas City had no choice but to take him, and after watching him jump into the starting lineup at the opening of camp, fans were excited.
Still, he came back from that time away and, until he injured his wrist, played at a very high level. Considering how much time elapsed between starts, it was clear he was the player the Chiefs drafted in round one.
Simmons can dominate, and he spent a considerable amount of time rehabbing his wrist and chiseling his body into a machine. He’s not the heaviest tackle in the league, but he has mastered leverage and strength to keep oncoming pass rushers away from Mahomes.
He’s not perfect, nor is any player, but for a man who spent the entire offseason in Kansas City working out to get ready for 2026, I believe he will be on the field against the Denver Broncos one week from Monday.
If not, the theories surrounding Simmons will only increase, which is unfortunate for everyone – especially if the Chiefs lose the opener. Mahomes is running for his life against the best pass-rushing team in the NFL.
On the flip side, perhaps this could be all nonsense, but the fact that he left the team last season and the mystery surrounding the latest status that he could be unavailable again won’t dissipate. It’s the sad reality of being a Chiefs fan at this stage of the Reid/Mahomes era.
Regardless, each injury is different, and we have no idea what’s happening to Simmons’ body. We should wait it out and take Smith’s words, not directed at Simmons, but his overall view of the way he treats his injuries.
Editor’s Note: Nate Taylor of ESPN indicated that the reports that Smith’s comments were directed toward Josh Simmons have been refuted by a team source. Thus, based on the content of that report, today’s column was altered to reflect that clarity.
