For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, a .500 record in December is a code-red alert, and the 6-6 Kansas City Chiefs are hearing the alarms loud and clear. Injuries and inconsistency kept coming into key moments for Patrick Mahomes and crew. Hence, to fix the sputtering offense, Andy Reid didn’t just look at the film; he opened the doors for a host of new faces in a clear message to the locker room.

The Chiefs hosted eight players for tryouts ahead of their Week 14 matchup against the Houston Texans. Five offensive linemen and three wide receivers joined them.

Zach Banner showed up looking for another shot. Nicholas Petit-Frere, D’Ante Smith, Zachary Thomas, and Matt Waletzko followed him into the building. All five lined up to compete for a spot in front of Mahomes. Joaquin Davis, Erik Ezukanma, and Jha’Quan Jackson stepped in at wideout and tried to show they belonged.

Everyone understood the stakes. Every rep matters because the Chiefs need someone who can help right away. Interestingly, every lineman on that list was an offensive tackle. That detail was impossible to ignore. It suggested the front office wants another steady blocker on the edge. The Chiefs have struggled to keep the pocket clean, and this was a clear sign that they want stronger protection outside.

However, as of now, it is unlikely that any of these players will land on the 53-man roster. The Chiefs, meanwhile, could add fresh depth to the practice squad. The injury issue still lingers, and Andy Reid shared some details about it.

Andy Reid shared an update on Josh Simmons and others

Andy Reid did not waste time when he faced the harsh questions on December 1. He opened with the status of left tackle Josh Simmons.

As reporter Charles Goldman shared, “Reid told reporters that rookie LT Josh Simmons was seeking a second opinion on his wrist injury and that the team would take it from there.”

Then Reid shifted to the rest of the group. He tried to keep things steady while explaining where everyone stood.

“The guys are working to get themselves healthy right now [and] everybody is in the process,” Reid said.

“Josh [Simmons] is getting a second evaluation on his wrist, and we’ll just see what goes from there, and then other guys, Trey [Smith] and [Jawaan Taylor], all those guys are improving as we go forward here. We’ll see how they do here in the next couple of days.”

The message was clear. Progress was there, but caution was still in play. Although Smith and Taylor seemed to be trending upward, the tone around Simmons shifted fast. A second opinion rarely appears in good news stories. That alone suggested something bigger might be happening.

However, analysts across the league now expect Kansas City to enter Week 14 without Simmons. The matchup with the Houston Texans will not wait. So the Chiefs must adjust fast and hope the next updates bring better news.