The Kansas City Chiefs will be starting a rookie left tackle as Patrick Mahomes' blindside protector against Denver.
The Kansas City Chiefs have an uphill task to beat the Denver Broncos on Monday night, and they’ll be relying on a rookie left tackles to hold up and help them get there. The Chiefs didn’t draft Kahlil Benson out of Indiana, but he emerged in training camp as one the most intriguing stories in football when he bid for a starting job.
“He’s obviously shown us that he has ability to play,” coach Andy Reid said of Benson this week in a piece written by Jesse Newell of The Athletic. “We wouldn’t put him in there if we didn’t think that.”
His start on Monday will be historic, according to Newell. Per TruMedia, Reid never started an undrafted rookie in Week 1 during his first 13 seasons with the team. The Chiefs’ only undrafted rookie since 2000 to start in Week 1 was fullback Mike Cox in 2008.
The shocking precedents don’t stop there, however. Benson didn’t take a snap at left tackle in college, but on Monday night he’ll be quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ new blindside protector.
Right tackle Jaylon Moore believes in Benson, though, largely because Benson was a threat to take his job in training camp. Benson was able to hold him off for the first part of camp, and then the Chiefs regular left tackle, Josh Simmons, had problems with a back issue.
“Kahlil is a [expletive] of a football player, tons of talent,” Moore said Thursday. “It obviously put him in the position he is now to be able to go out and start his first NFL game. I mean, it’s awesome to see.”
But there are reasons Benson slipped through the draft without being selected, as Newell noted. His tape was inconsistent, and according to draft expert Dane Brugler he had “sloppy tendencies that he must continue to address,” although Brugler did correctly predict that Benson’s size and length would “give him a chance in a pro camp.”
That’s a long way from playing against the Denver Broncos and protecting Mahomes, but Chiefs assistant GM Mike Bradway indicated that it’s been all about Benson’s process.
“Each day, he got better and better,” Bradway said. And by the end of the day, you’ve seen a big, strong kid (who’s) got some ability. So let’s just sign him to the 90-man.”
Now Reid wants him to play with the swagger of a veteran, which is a huge ask.
“I want his confidence to be that and go out and play and just use his abilities,” Reid said, “and write a good story.”
The Chiefs believe Benson can do it. It’s not an impossible story to write, but it will be incredibly difficult to write as part of a win in this particular game.
