The Chiefs’ left side of the offensive line should be a storyline all season. For now, first-round rookie Josh Simmons looks the part at left tackle, while excelling in pass protection through two preseason games.
Second-year player Kingsley Suamataia at left guard, however, remains a bit of an enigma. He’s an elite athlete — and that shows up in his run blocking — but through two preseason games, his pass blocking has been inconsistent at best. Case in point: Via Pro Football Focus’ preliminary grades from Friday’s preseason game, Suamataia (in 10 snaps) had the Chiefs’ top offensive grade, top run-blocking grade, but also the team’s lowest pass-blocking grade.
I’m not sure whether all that should be considered encouraging or discouraging for a team that would love to secure some pass-blocking stability in front of quarterback Patrick Mahomes.