Chiefs Decision on Josh Simmons Fate Expected Before Raiders Game

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Josh Simmons of the Kansas City Chiefs.

The mysterious absence of first-round draft pick Josh Simmons from the Kansas City Chiefs will apparently continue into a second week, after the rookie offensive lineman was ruled out of Sunday’s home game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

While the Chiefs have given no indication of a timeline for Simmons’ return after leaving the team on what coach Andy Reid called a “personal” situation, the team will need to make a decision on how to handle the 22-year-old’s absence in a formal capacity, likely before kickoff in the Raiders game.

That decision would give the first tangible clue as to how long the Chiefs believe Simmons will need to resolve whatever issue led to his leaving the team.

Veach Must Make NFI Decision on Simmons

Public details of what exactly Simmons is dealing with have been essentially non-existent. If Reid and the Chiefs players know the reasons for behind the rookie’s departure prior to last Sunday night’s matchup against the Detroit Lions, they are not saying.

The team’s desire to maintain Simmons’ privacy is certainly understandable, but the Chiefs also have a football team to operate, and as long as Simmons is gone the Chiefs are playing shorthanded, unable to fill his roster spot.

That means general manager Brett Veach — who Reid said was handling the Simmons situation — must decide whether to add his player to the NFL’s Non-Football Injury (NFI) list, a move that would render Simmons ineligible to return for four games from the time his name is added to the list.

“If it will be an extended absence for Simmons, Veach could consider placing him on the league’s NFI list,” wrote Kansas City Star Chiefs correspondent Pete Sweeney on Friday. “The move would open up a roster spot, which Kansas City could use to elevate tackle Chukwuebuka Godrick from the practice squad — or sign a free agent.”

Move Will Indicate Duration of Simmons’ Absence

“Look for the Chiefs to send their first real message on the Josh Simmons situation this afternoon,” wrote Outkick reporter Bobby Burack on Saturday morning. “If the team believes he will out a while, today would be the day to put him on NFI. If they don’t put him on NFI, it’d suggest they think he could return shortly.”

As of 8 p.m. Central Time, however, the Chiefs had not announced any formal move to add Simmons to the NFI list. Nor had they said anything about a decision to keep him off the list.

Because they have already ruled Simmons out for Sunday, adding him to the list prior to the game would allow the team to face the Raiders with a full 53-man roster.

But it would also mean that they would definitely be without Simmons’ services against the Washington Commanders, Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos as well, the Chiefs’ upcoming three opponents.

Jaylon Moore Pressed Into Service

If they do not add him to the NFI list, that could be an indication that they expect Simmons to resolve his “personal” situation soon, and are willing to do without him for this week in expectation that he will be back potentially prior to the October 27 Monday Night Football game against Washington.

In the offseason, the Chiefs signed fifth-year veteran lineman Jaylon Moore to a two-year, $30 million free agenct contract, but Simmons quickly surpassed Moore and earned the majority of playing time at the left tackle position.

But Moore was pressed into service against the Lions, and presumably will get the start Sunday against Las Vegas as well.

Jonathan Vankin JONATHAN VANKIN is an award-winning journalist and writer who now covers baseball and other sports for Heavy.com. He twice won New England Press Association awards for sports feature writing. He was a sports editor and writer at The Daily Yomiuri in Tokyo, Japan, covering Japan Pro Baseball, boxing, sumo and other sports. More about Jonathan Vankin