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Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid provided an injury update on left tackle Josh Simmons.
There was injury news from Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid on December 1, as he provided an update on the status of left tackle Josh Simmons.
Per A-to-Z Sports Kansas City beat reporter Charles Goldman, “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.”
“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.”
Although the updates on Smith and Taylor were somewhat positive, Reid appeared to confirm the concerning reports that Simmons suffered a major injury, considering second opinions are never a great sign.
Latest Injury Updates & News From NFL Insiders & Reporters on Chiefs LT Josh Simmons
GettyKansas City Chiefs left tackle Josh Simmons’ Week 14 injury update is not promising.
The exact severity and recovery timeline of Simmons’ injury is still unclear, but different rumors and reports from insiders and journalists have been floating around.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport initially reported that “Simmons, who impressed against the [Dallas] Cowboys before exiting with an injury, suffered a dislocated and fractured wrist, sources say.”
Later, on November 28, Rapoport added that the wrist issue is “a significant injury for Josh Simmons, who now will likely head to IR.” However, no IR designation has occurred.
Then, on November 30, SI Now’s KC insider Matt Verderame reported the following: “I’m told that while the Chiefs expect Josh Simmons to be out long-term with his wrist injury, that’s not the case with RT Jawaan Taylor. Taylor, who sustained a triceps injury on Thursday, could play next week vs. the Texans, depending on how he feels throughout this week.”
Good news for Taylor, if accurate, but not so good news for the Chiefs’ left tackle. It’s safe to assume that Kansas City will not have Simmons against the Houston Texans in Week 14.
Chiefs Work Out 5 Offensive Tackles Ahead of Week 14 vs. Texans
If it wasn’t already obvious that Simmons could miss some time, the Chiefs gave another clear hint on December 1.
According to The Athletic’s Jesse Newell and the NFL transaction log, KC worked out five free agent offensive tackles ahead of Week 14.
The headliner was former Pittsburgh Steelers swing tackle Zach Banner, who is turning 32 years old in late December.
Standing at 6-foot-8, Banner has logged 31 career appearances between the regular season and the playoffs combined. However, his career was derailed by a major injury, and he has not suited up for an NFL game since 2021.
Along with Banner, former Tennessee Titans third-round pick Nicholas Petit-Frere was among the workouts. The 25-year-old was rushed into the starting right tackle role in Tennessee as a rookie, but never panned out. He’s appeared in 34 games, starting 28 of them.
The other three tryouts were 25-year-old Matt Waletzko, a 6-foot-8 blocker formerly of the Cowboys, 27-year-old veteran D’Ante Smith, and 27-year-old journeyman Zachary Thomas.
It appears the Chiefs are officially in the market for offensive tackle help once again.
Michael Obermuller covers the NFL for Heavy Sports, where he began writing in 2021. His areas of focus include the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers, with expert knowledge on each based on years of coverage. Michael is an NYC area native and Quinnipiac graduate. More about Michael Obermuller
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