Depending on the resulting prognosis following the testing and treatment, this could be the second extended absence of Simmons’ rookie campaign. Earlier in the year, Simmons sat out the four-game stretch before the Chiefs’ bye week as he dealt with a mysterious personal issue. Disappearing after the first five starts of his career, Simmons finally returned in Week 11 to take his starting job back.
In his first absence, swing tackle Jaylon Moore filled in at left tackle for Kansas City. It’s a role Moore is extremely familiar with after filling in several games for San Francisco 49ers star left tackle Trent Williams over the course of his rookie contract, and the Chiefs paid Moore handsomely to come in and do more of the same.
Unfortunately, the Chiefs could be dealing with injuries to multiple tackles. Right tackle Jawaan Taylor was also hurt in Thursday’s game, leaving the contest with an elbow injury and getting ruled out shortly after. There’s been much less information about Taylor’s status since the game ended, so any further inference would only be speculation, but any absence Taylor may be faced with could take things from bad to worse for a team fighting to stay above .500 and in the playoff race.
If Taylor is forced to miss game time and Moore is already subbing in for Simmons, Wanya Morris is the next man up on the depth chart. Morris started 11 games for the Chiefs at left tackle last year, but his struggles at the position were part of what prompted Kansas City to use their Day 1 pick on Simmons this year.