Josh Simmons Could Begin Building a Legacy as the Chiefs' Next Star in 2026

Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Josh Simmons had a truly bizarre rookie season.

Simmons fell to the No. 32 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft due to the fact that he suffered a serious knee injury in October 2024 that put his NFL future into doubt. A few months later, that injury was an afterthought.

By the time training camp rolled around, there was no apparent concern about Simmons' knee, and no apparent debate about who would be protecting quarterback Patrick Mahomes' blindside as the Chiefs' starting left tackle in 2025. The job belonged to Simmons.

The rookie lineman performed well throughout the first five weeks of the season before a mysterious midseason absence caused him to miss four games in Weeks 6-9. Simmons returned for Weeks 11-13 before suffering a wrist injury that ended his season prematurely.

For a player who only suited up in eight games last year, this may come as a surprise to some: As we continue to rank the top 25 Chiefs players ahead of the 2026 season, Simmons comes in at No. 7.

Why Josh Simmons Is So Important

Josh Simmons is the Kansas City Chiefs' franchise left tackle. Full stop.

Finding a multi-year, high-level answer to their persistent left tackle question has been a struggle for the Chiefs, and for good reason. Elite tackle prospects are usually selected very early in the NFL Draft, and (until last season) the Chiefs typically make their first pick in the late-20s or early-30s. Add in the fact that great tackles rarely hit free agency, and it's easy to understand why Simmons is so vital for the Chiefs' present and future.

Simmons' Strengths and Weaknesses

Simmons' biggest question comes from his availability. Crucially, Simmons wasn't held back by his collegiate knee injury, and his season-ending wrist injury came from an unlucky blow from running back Kareem Hunt, who was trying to help Simmons with a block.

Simmons' midseason absence, which was never specified beyond a "personal" designation and head coach Andy Reid saying that Simmons was "taking care of family," shouldn't be repeated in 2026.

There's still room to grow as a player, but if Simmons can simply be on the field for the vast majority of KC's 17 regular season games, he'll be able to put his biggest questions behind him.

Simmons' biggest strengths come from the fact that he's a borderline-perfect tackle prospect for the modern NFL. Meanwhile, his 2026 physique has already created some buzz, while his interest in improving his game seems genuine.

He still has plenty to prove and places to continue growing his game at the NFL level, but the sky is the limit for Simmons' potential.

Talking technique with Josh Simmons; V handle, one-vs-two hand strikes, decision-making process between being aggressive, settling or expanding the set point and more pic.twitter.com/PXaNWkNapU
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) May 22, 2026

What Happens If Simmons Gets Hurt?

The Chiefs recently thinned out their tackle depth by trading Wanya Morris to the Atlanta Falcons. Now, second-year undrafted free agent Esa Pole appears to be the first backup to Simmons, following five games at left tackle to round out last season. Pole showed promising flashes and a few rookie growing pains in his first tastes of NFL action, but there were enough sparks to justify trading Morris.

The Chiefs' other backup tackles also have very limited NFL experience but noteworthy upside. When training camp rolls around, keep an eye on Kahlil Benson, Chukwuebuka Godrick and Ethan Driskell.

However, last year's swing tackle, Jaylon Moore (No. 19 in our 2026 rankings), won't be there to step in for Simmons like he did in 2025. Moore was KC's third tackle last year but projects as the team's starter at right tackle following the departure of Jawaan Taylor.

Here's a comparison of Chiefs LT Josh Simmons from Nov. 19 last year (after he returned to team from family absence) to today (June 9). Simmons said his bigger frame is side effect of working out every day. Says he's around 285-290 pounds now and hopes to get to 300 for Week 1. pic.twitter.com/JEcFrgSXb6
— Jesse Newell (@jessenewell) June 9, 2026

Why We Ranked Simmons Here

There's certainly a bit of projection for Simmons to land at No. 7, but what he showed in a half-season with the Chiefs was enough to cement him in this tier of players for 2026. As we discussed on a recent episode of Only Weird Games, I think Simmons is Kansas City's best bet to become the next star and foundational piece for the Chiefs' next era.

He has to stay healthy and available, and there's no time to stagnate, as NFL defenders will have plenty of film on Simmons in 2026. If Simmons gets anywhere near his ceiling, he and Mahomes could spend their next decade of football life together.

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