By Jeremy
Andy Reid’s updates on Chamarri Conner and Josh Simmons sounded different for a reason. Reid said Conner has a “good chance” to play against the Raiders after practicing last week, but offered no comparable timetable for Simmons. Both have missed Kansas City’s first three games. For a Chiefs team trying to settle its lineup, that leaves the defense preparing for a possible return while the offense must keep planning around an absence.
Conner could give the secondary more choices
Conner’s knee injury has kept him out of the lineup, and Reid was careful not to promise that Sunday will end the wait. Still, practicing last week and being expected to work again this week are meaningful steps. The question is not only whether Conner is active, but how much the Chiefs ask of him in his first game back.
Jaden Hicks has helped cover the safety vacancy while Conner has been out. A return would give the defensive staff another option when matching personnel to a play call, rather than forcing one replacement plan to carry through another week. That flexibility matters to Kansas City, but it should not be confused with a guarantee that Conner immediately resumes a full workload. The practice reports will tell us more than Monday’s hopeful wording alone.
Left tackle remains the tougher call
Simmons’ situation is less encouraging simply because Reid did not indicate that a return is close. The left tackle has been sidelined by a back injury, and rookie Kahlil Benson has been the Chiefs’ likely replacement in his absence. That makes Benson the sensible starting point for this week’s preparation unless Simmons makes a clear move toward playing. It is not a verdict on the rest of Simmons’ season; it is a recognition that the team needs a workable plan now.
From a Chiefs fan’s perspective, the concern is the uncertainty at a position tied directly to Patrick Mahomes’ protection. Coaches can account for a missing tackle with protection help and quicker passing concepts, but those choices affect what else the offense can do. Kansas City does not need to rush Simmons back to quiet the questions. It does need to keep evaluating how much it can ask of Benson and what support makes the left side most reliable.
The lineup test this week
These updates should be read separately. Conner appears to be moving toward a decision based on how he handles another week of work; Simmons’ availability remains open-ended. By the time Kansas City heads to Las Vegas, the useful answers will come from participation at practice and the final game-status report—not from assuming that one encouraging injury update applies to both sides of the ball.
A Conner return would be welcome, but the bigger lineup question remains at left tackle. For now, measured expectations fit both players better than a prediction.