Chiefs coach Andy Reid said in June that it would be a good thing for left tackle Josh Simmons to gain weight, as long as it wasn’t “cheeseburger weight.” Two months later, Reid confirmed that Simmons has gained lead weight, not cheeseburger weight.
Reid said at training camp on Wednesday that Simmons is looking good after gaining weight in the last couple months.
“He put on weight in the offseason. He’s been able to maintain it,” Reid said. “I think it’ll help him, not that he couldn’t do it at the other weight, but this gives him a little bit more lead in his pants, and that pays off for you. Over time, it pays off for you during the season.”
The 6-foot-5 Simmons weighed 317 pounds at last year’s Scouting Combine before the Chiefs drafted him in the first round, but he lost a lot of weight during his first year in the NFL and said in June that he got down to around 285, which is probably too skinny for an NFL offensive tackle. He declined to directly answer a reporter’s question about precisely how much he weighs right now, but he said he’s in the range where he and the team want him.
“It’s definitely where it needs to be,” Simmons said of his current weight.
After a rookie season in which he missed more games than he played, the Chiefs need Simmons to be ready to play a full season and protect Patrick Mahomes’ blind side this season. All indications from training camp are that Simmons is physically ready to go.
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