Chiefs-Cardinals rapid reaction: Josh Simmons looks the part

The Kansas City Chiefs collected a 20-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in their first preseason game. Here are some initial takeaways from the game:

Josh Simmons had a fantastic start to the preseason.

Thanks to a special-teams turnover to start the game, Patrick Mahomes and the first-team offensive line began the game with a short field at the Arizona 13-yard line. Mahomes and company made quick work, scoring a touchdown on his lone pass of the night.

First-round rookie left tackle Josh Simmons and the offensive line stayed on the field for the second drive with backup Gardner Minshew, logging 11 plays on the evening. It was a brief look, but Simmons looked as advertised, setting quickly off the line of scrimmage, stonewalling his assignments and keeping the passer clean.

Starting right tackle Jawaan Taylor saw the first drive, with Jaylon Moore taking over at right tackle for the second drive. Like Simmons, second-year lineman Kingsley Suamataia saw all 11 snaps.

In our first look at the game, Suamataia looked more comfortable than he did at left tackle last season, although he did lose a few snaps. A point to watch will be where Moore rotates in the second preseason game next week in Seattle. He has spent most of camp rotating with Taylor at right tackle, but he has also had a few days where he has rotated with Suamataia at left guard.

The Chiefs have a good problem developing at wide receiver.

Even prior to the injuries to Hollywood Brown (ankle) and Rashee Rice (groin), Tyquan Thornton saw work in St. Joseph with Patrick Mahomes and the first team, and he continued to build his case against the Cardinals with a 15-yard grab from Minshew.

6-foot-2 wide receiver Jason Brownlee was the recipient of Mahomes’ lone pass of the night — making an athletic play in the red zone going one-on-one up against cornerback Max Melton. Brownlee looked back at the ball, torquing his body to stretch out his hand and bring in the touchdown.

Based on what we’ve mentioned, Thornton should make the roster. But if Kansas City wants to keep both Thornton and Brownlee, it would likely mean having to waive Skyy Moore, Nikko Remigio or both.

If you assume the roster locks at receiver to be Rice, Brown, Xavier Worthy, Jalen Royals and JuJu Smith-Schuster, the Chiefs would have to keep seven receivers (with Rice presumably on the suspended list) to keep Remigio.

Remigio has done everything to prove his worth, with special teams coordinator Dave Toub viewing him as the top returner on the team. Remigio boosted that notion with a 48-yard second-quarter return. In this scenario of seven receivers, the Chiefs would have to consider moving on from a fourth running back, such as Carson Steele or a fourth tight end, like Robert Tonyan or Jared Wiley.

Thus, there is a good problem developing for general manager Brett Veach.

The top defense bent but did not break.

Including the opening-kickoff turnover, the Chiefs turned the Cardinals over on back-to-back possessions to begin the game. In special teams, linebackers Cam Jones and Jack Cochrane forced a fumble recovered by cornerback Chris Roland-Wallace. That led to the short-field Mahomes touchdown.

Kyler Murray and the Cardinals’ offense worked the ball to the Chiefs’ red zone on the back of 10-plus-yard receptions by wide receivers Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr., before Murray made a terrible mistake, telegraphing a pass right to safety Jaden Hicks. You still need to make the play, and the Chiefs’ 2024 interception leader did just that, reeling in the pick to give the ball back to the offense.

In this first look, it was somewhat alarming how easily Arizona moved the ball between the 20s. Still, it’s a credit to the defense that it tightened in the red zone, eventually holding Arizona on third-and-1 at their own 15, forcing a field goal.