Arrowhead Pride
The Kansas City Chiefs will have a mandatory mini-camp from June 9th to the 11th, the final week of offseason practice before training camp in late July.
With quarterback Patrick Mahomes coming off an ACL injury, the Chiefs could be more reliant on the run game, especially with the addition of running back Kenneth Walker this offseason.
Walker is a high-level runner fresh off a Super Bowl MVP and a big season with the Seattle Seahawks. Adding him to the roster should bolster Kansas City’s offense with another weapon, but the Chiefs’ offensive line must hold up its end of the bargain as well.
With a running back capable of game-breaking plays and a quarterback coming off a major knee injury, the Chiefs’ offensive line must have one of its best seasons of the Mahomes era.
The starting five should look very familiar to last season, where every player made multiple starts.
At left tackle, Josh Simmons will look to build upon the flashes he showed as a rookie and hopefully put together a full season. Kingsley Sumataia will return for his second season as the team’s starting left guard, where he can hopefully build upon a solid 2025 season.
Creed Humphrey will return for his sixth season and look to add to his already decorated career that features three All-Pro selections and four Pro Bowl entries. Right guard, playing the role of enforcer, Trey Smith will also return for his sixth season with the team, and continue to solidify the Chiefs having one of the best interior offensive lines in the NFL.
Jaylon Moore started six games last season for Kansas City, and this season he is slated to be the starting right tackle.
Off the bench, the Chiefs will have Esa Pole and Wanya Morris competing for the swing tackle spot, with Mike Caliendo and Hunter Nourzad backing up the interior.
Simmons was brilliant in 2025 when he was on the field, but due to injuries and personal reasons, he played only eight games.
Expectations for Simmons this season will likely be centered on his durability, his ability to play left tackle for the entire season and proving that he can become the Chiefs’ long-term option on the blind side.
A high-level athlete, the flashes that he showed in 2025 should set the table for how the team plans to use him in 2026, and what he is capable of.
After a tumultuous 2024 rookie season, which saw him benched as a tackle, Suamataia entered the 2025 season with a chip on his shoulder and with a new position. Starting all 17 games at left guard in 2025, he showed a solid transition to a more natural position that fits his build as well as play style.
The Simons clip gives us a quick view of what Suamataia brings to the interior of the line, rather than the edge.
The move inside allowed him to maximize his...
