For the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday’s matchup in Allegiant Stadium carries a rare kind of early-season weight. Both the Chiefs and the Las Vegas Raiders are 3-0, turning this old-school AFC West rivalry into a battle for first place in the division. For KC, the roster is almost entirely healthy, but there is still one glaring issue hanging over the offense that’s getting harder to ignore by the week – Patrick Mahomes’ blind side.

Head Coach Andy Reid confirmed Friday that the Chiefs Kingdom will have to wait at least another couple of weeks to see their starting left tackle – Josh Simmons – on the field. He has been officially ruled out for Week 4.

“The only injury is Josh Simmons, and then, look forward to the challenge of playing the Raiders. Good football team,” Reid said, opening his Friday presser. “Two 3-0 teams playing, and in Las Vegas. So [doesn’t] get any better than that, and great opportunity. We had a good week of practice and look forward to, again, that challenge.”

Reid’s positivity about the challenge ahead aside, this decision puts Simmons on the shelf for a fourth straight game to start the season. Earlier this week, coach Reid had explained that the back flare-up from mid-August training camp actually turned out to be a bulging disc. The inflamed disc has been sapping power from Simmons’ leg, making it difficult for the 310 -pound lineman to dig in his cleats and anchor against speed rushers.

Even with the prolonged absence, the Chiefs resisted putting him on the IR. Reid has already explained that they didn’t need the roster spot for another signing, and preferred keeping him day-to-day rather than locking him into a mandatory month-long shutdown. Reid also seemed optimistic that Simmons wouldn’t need surgery, but didn’t close that door completely.

“Right now, I think we’re heading in the right direction here, where that shouldn’t happen,” Reid said earlier in the week. “But we’ll see where it all goes. I think we’re going to be – knock on wood – we’re going to be in a good place here with time.”

There is some serious hope for Simmons doing better this season as the starting left tackle when (if) he comes back. His rookie campaign last season had already cost him missed time due to a personal issue. When he did come back, a dislocation and wrist fracture in Week 13 sidelined him for the rest of the season.

With Simmons missing time in 2026, many started questioning the Chiefs’ decision to use their first-round pick on him. There was already some doubt surrounding his health before he came to the NFL, as he’d suffered a torn patellar tendon in 2024. However, what impressed the Chiefs was what he could do once he was on the field.

Simmons allowed zero sacks during his 2024 season before he went down with the injury. He also received 2024 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten Conference honors, despite appearing in just six games.

Simmons also had fans hoping for better results, as he allowed only two sacks in the eight games he played as a rookie. But with his delayed absence, the Chiefs can only sit back and await his return.

The Chiefs have instead pivoted to Kahlil Benson

In Josh Simmons’ absence, the Chiefs have started with undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson in the last three games. Although he struggled during the season opener, Benson quickly found his groove and went on to win NFL Rookie of the Month honors after helping the Chiefs snag three straight wins. 

On the field, Benson has allowed just 9 pressures and 5 hits, and zero sacks across three games, per PFF. While this is good news for the Chiefs, it might not be as great for Simmons. Benson struggled on a few snaps in Week 3, but offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy sees the grind he is putting himself through, and feels optimistic about his growth as a rookie.

“Here’s the thing: Khalil’s a rookie, and every day is a brand new day,” Bieniemy said recently. “You’re going to have some good moments throughout the course of a game and you’re gonna have some bad moments. The beauty of it is that he has an opportunity to learn from that particular situation. And the thing that you learn about your team as you continue to grow throughout the season is: how do they handle those tough situations? How resilient of a person is he?

“And now it may not have been a situation that he’s very proud of putting on tape, but it’s one of those situations where he can learn from. How did he feel in that particular moment? What was done? Was it the lack of communication? Was it something that he didn’t do? But at the end of the day, I’m proud of the kid because he keeps getting up and he’s finding a way to fight.”

If Benson continues to improve, Josh Simmons might just have to battle him for the starting job once he becomes healthy. Simmons is the designated starter, but the injury-riddled seasons stretching back to his college days have created doubts regarding his consistency that he has to disprove now.