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Chiefs Find 'Solution' With Ohio State Stud

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Adam Schultz | Last updated Apr 4, 2025 6:53 AM ET

When you have Patrick Mahomes as your quarterback, you want to make sure he rarely gets hit, but for the Kansas City Chiefs last season, Mahomes was sacked the most in his career (47 in total plus playoffs).

So general manager Brett Veach looked to the NFC West and the San Francisco 49ers for a solution in backup Jaylon Moore to fill the left tackle position.

Does that fix it? Hardly. But does it give the Chiefs an option? Absolutely.

But for most, including NFL Network's Brian Baldinger, the Moore signing is nothing more than a "band-aid" move and doesn't alleviate the fears entering the 2025 season.

With the NFL draft fast approaching, many have Kansas City taking a tackle in the first round, and for CBS Sports' Douglas Clawson, the franchise should look at Ohio State's Josh Simmons.

"Kansas City's solution is Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons, who is coming off a torn patellar tendon but should be ready for training camp and looks like he has the ability to protect Mahomes' blind side," Clawson writes. "He allowed one pressure on 152 pass block snaps last year before his injury, good for the lowest pressure rate allowed (0.7%) in the FBS last year (minimum 100 pass block snaps)."

That pressure rate is superb, and Mahomes, especially in the Super Bowl, was under duress a lot (pressured 55 percent of the time per CBS Sports), and that is no way to live in any NFL game.

So, upgrading the line in the draft and possibly after, with June 1 cuts also set to happen, gives ample time to solidify the position.

But Simmons is a player we have seen mocked to the Chiefs consistently, with a glaring need to keep defenders off Mahomes' back, Simmons, prior to his injury last season, was one of the best in college football.

Of course, his health will be a key factor, but the Chiefs need help, and Simmons can provide it.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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