Philadelphia Eagles v Kansas City Chiefs – NFL 2025 | Kevin Sabitus/GettyImages
 

Brett Veach had a two-pronged plan of attack for the Kansas City Chiefs’ woes at left tackle last spring. After watching four different players man the position protecting Patrick Mahomes’ blindside during the 2024 season, Veach went to work as the team’s general manager to remedy a longstanding concern.

As the Chiefs prepare for Week 6 and a primetime appearance at home against the Detroit Lions, Veach is going to be glad he had a Plan B in mind.

The Chiefs (and everyone else) found out shortly before Sunday Night Football that starting left tackle Josh Simmons, the team’s first-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, might not be available to play. After designating him as questionable early on Sunday, he was downgraded to doubtful and the latest reports have him missing his first NFL game.

The Chiefs will be glad Brett Veach prepared them for a moment like they’re facing in Week 6.

The only thing known about Simmons’ situation is that it’s not injury related and has been described as a “family matter”. Without Simmons lining up at left tackle next to Kingsley Suamataia, the team will turn to Jaylon Moore to make his first start of the season.

Moore was the Chiefs’ free-agent attempt to answer the same problem of left tackle, but that came before Simmons fell in the draft order all the way to No. 32. Veach’s selection of Simmons gave Kansas City two new options with Moore around as well, and now it seems that the GM’s preparedness is coming in handy in the season’s first half.

Last year, the Chiefs began with Suamataia as the Week 1 starter at left tackle before hitting the bench for Wanya Morris. However, Morris was injured with a limited ceiling, and Veach decided to sign veteran free agent D.J. Humphries near season’s end. Yet Humphries went down with a hamstring injury in his first start, which forced K.C. to slide Joe Thuney over from left guard.

Veach was a big fan of Moore’s in the offseason and said his appreciation of Moore actually went back to the tackle’s college days before the 49ers drafted him in the fifth round in the 2021 NFL Draft.

“[Moore] is a guy that I think the only downside was just the lack of starts during his career,” said Veach. “Now, when you consider the fact that he played behind a first-ballot Hall of Fame player in Trent Williams, you can see why. But he’s athletic. He’s a smart kid.”

Moore has only played a total of 20 offensive snaps so far, but he has the versatility to spell both Simmons and Jawaan Taylor on the right side as well.