Several Kansas City Chiefs veterans will need to help push along one rookie this offseason.
The Kansas City Chiefs' most pressing need entering the offseason was to fortify Patrick Mahomes' protection after the three-time Super Bowl champ was sacked a career-high 47 times (including playoffs).
General manager Brett Veach clicked through the gears and signed Jaylon Moore from the San Francisco 49ers in free agency, and then when the NFL Draft came around, the thought was the Chiefs would double down at the position.
And they did.
Kansas City selected left tackle Josh Simmons at the end of the first round to add more depth to a position that needs it.
And for ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, he has quite the intel on why Simmons lasted until so long in the draft.
"It's the proverbial "character concerns" that kept him out of the top 20 per those I spoke to around the league," Fowler wrote. "As one AFC personnel man put it: "Certain things are important to him -- pass blocking, game day -- but others are not, such as practices and run blocking." It's up to the Chiefs, a veteran-laden team with a championship pedigree, to harness that ability and maximize the skill set."
If there is one NFL team with the veterans to deal with Simmons's supposed "character concerns," it's the Chiefs.
With Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, Trey Smith, Nick Bolton, and George Karlaftis, the Chiefs have ample leaders in the locker room to make sure Simmons stays on the straight and narrow.
Given how unsettled the offensive line is and the fact that the Chiefs used a first-round pick on Simmons to, we think, eventually usurp Moore, Simmons simply has to work out.
And going by Fowler's information, it will be up to the veterans in the locker room to make sure he does.
