Chiefs start undrafted Kahlil Benson at LT for Simmons — SkimNews
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- Kahlil Benson, an undrafted rookie right tackle from Indiana, will start at left tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs in Monday's season opener against the Denver Broncos, replacing injured first-round pick Josh Simmons.
- Josh Simmons, the Chiefs' 2025 first-round pick, will miss the opener with a lower back injury that has sidelined him for more than three weeks.
- Benson would be the first undrafted rookie on offense to start in Week 1 for coach Andy Reid during his Kansas City tenure, which began in 2013.
- Patrick Mahomes will make his return after nine months recovering from a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee, an injury sustained Dec. 14, 2025, and said Thursday he expects to play without limitations.
- Jaylon Moore, a five-year veteran with left tackle experience, is expected to start at right tackle in the reshuffled line, having shifted across from his natural side.
- The Denver Broncos are projected to field one of the NFL's best defenses, a unit led by pass rusher Nik Bonitto and cornerback Pat Surtain II.
Why it matters: An injury to a first-round rookie forces Kansas City to start an undrafted free agent on Patrick Mahomes' blind side — in the quarterback's first game back from ACL and LCL surgery. The reshuffled line faces a Denver defense projected among the NFL's best, led by Nik Bonitto and Pat Surtain II.
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