The Kansas City Chiefs started their Week 4 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders with a bit of a surprise.
According to ESPN’s Nate Taylor, the Chiefs benched starting left guard Kingsley Suamataia in favor of Mike Caliendo.
Kansas City Chiefs Bench OL Kingsley Suamataia in Favor of Mike Caliendo
Taylor reported that the team informed him it was a “coaches decision” to start Caliendo over Suamataia. That’s not very specific information, but we should get more clarity on the situation after the game. Suamataia was not listed on Kansas City’s injury report this past week, and there was no report on a new injury that was sustained.
Caliendo is a five-year NFL veteran who signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent back in 2022. He has started seven games throughout his career. His performances have produced mix results, but Kansas City re-signed him to a new one-year contract during the offseason. As of this writing, the Raiders lead the Chiefs 13-10 at halftime.
Chiefs Are Hurting on Left Side of Their OL
Caliendo being lined up next to undrafted rookie free agent Kahlil Benson at left tackle is less than ideal. Benson has held up well all things considered, but has been the weak link of the Chiefs’ offensive line. With the inconsistent Caliendo beside him, quarterback Patrick Mahomes‘ blindside is shaky at best.
Kansas City has been without starting left tackle Josh Simmons for the entirety of the season thus far. Simmons injured his back during training camp and has been sidelined ever since. This past week, coach Andy Reid finally revealed some additional details about Simmons’ injury, stating that he has been dealing with a bulging disc.
“As far as the injuries go, really Josh is the only one [not practicing],” Reid said. “He is making progress. He’s had a bulging disc in his lower back, and it’s kind of hindered the strength of his leg. He’s working through it, he’s here every day grinding away. We didn’t have to make any roster moves, so we didn’t have to put him on IR (injured reserve). So, it’s all worked out good that way. The positive is, though, he is making progress and getting stronger, which is important with those backs. As we know, backs can be a little tricky.”
Chiefs Starter Mysteriously Benched vs. Raiders