Will the Chiefs' Offensive Line Stabilize After the Bye Week?

Despite significant uncertainty on the left side of the offensive line, the Chiefs are 4-0. How will the O-line come together after the bye?

Sep 28, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia (76) and offensive tackle Josh Simmons (71) at the line of scrimmage against the Baltimore Ravens during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In some instances, an early Week 5 bye could be an unwelcome arrival for an NFL team, particularly for an undefeated squad with the type of momentum that only comes with four consecutive wins. For the 4-0 Kansas City Chiefs, however, it might be exactly the right time for the sake of their uncertain offensive line.

While we use this bye week to evaluate a few key position groups for the current No. 1 seed in the AFC, you may not expect too much concern for the only unbeaten team in the conference.

Still, offensive line uncertainty has been one of the defining storylines of the Chiefs' strong start. How will the group come together after the bye week? That's the team's biggest issue to solve before they host the Los Angeles Chargers on October 18.

Starting left tackle Josh Simmons has missed the first four games of the season with a bulging disc, an injury the team only publicly defined on September 30. Starting left guard Kingsley Suamataia was benched for the Chiefs' Week 4 showdown against the Las Vegas Raiders, reportedly due to a "coaching decision."

Undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson has held up at left tackle in Simmons' absence, while veteran backup Mike Caliendo got the left guard reps in Las Vegas. Right tackle Jaylon Moore has had his ups and downs, leaving an interesting question for the Chiefs to answer—Benson or Moore at right tackle?—when Simmons returns.

Even All-Pro center Creed Humphrey has had some issues to begin the year, tossing some bad snaps and starting the year on pace to have career-low grades from Pro Football Focus.

To be fair, across an array of offensive line metrics, evaluation of the Chiefs' performance varies—a frequent phenomenon due to the variety of often-subjective ways O-lines are evaluated. Still, with such uncertainty at left tackle, it's seemed apparent that the unit has not yet fully gelled to be as solid as the sum of its parts.

Pass block grade of offensive linemen in true pass sets only

Mahomes/Trevor good

What happened to the Broncos' OL?? pic.twitter.com/DQCqy3lTpE

— Computer Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) October 7, 2026

The Chiefs bolstered their depth on the O-line just before roster cutdowns, trading for veteran lineman Joshua Ezeudu from the New York Giants and undrafted rookie tackle Diego Pounds from the Baltimore Ravens.

Ezeudu has taken five offensive snaps for the Chiefs, while Pounds has been inactive through the Chiefs' first four games. Pounds remains an intriguing developmental tackle prospect, but his future on the field appears to be some time away. Ezeudu is on a one-year deal and provides short-term versatility at guard or tackle, though either Benson or Moore would clearly be the team's backup swing tackle when Simmons returns.

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