Although the Kansas City Chiefs have faced challenges this season, there have been some bright spots. One of those bright spots is the pass protection for Patrick Mahomes from the offensive line.
Coming into the year, there were major question marks on the offensive line, particularly on the left side, with rookie Josh Simmons set to start at left tackle and second-year tackle convert Kingsley Suamataia projected to slot in at left guard, replacing Joe Thuney. Neither player was an established starter at those positions, so the risk of yet another underwhelming pass-protection season for Patrick Mahomes was a real possibility.
Just five games into the 2025 season, it's clear that pass protection is not the issue for an inconsistent Kansas City offense. Per Pro Football Focus ($), Mahomes has been pressured on just 31.2% of his dropbacks, the sixth-lowest rate among 38 qualified quarterbacks. In 2024, it was 33.0% and tied for the 16th-lowest among 43 qualified quarterbacks.
Kingsley Suamataia has turned his season around after a rough start for the Chiefs
The main reason for the improvement is Josh Simmons, but Kingsley Suamataia starting to figure things out is also a key factor. The first three weeks were rough for Suamataia, as he surrendered one sack and 10 total pressures across 137 pass-blocking snaps, with a 38.4 pass-blocking grade and 95.6 pass-blocking efficiency, per PFF ($).
Over the last two games, those numbers have improved dramatically to just one pressure and zero sacks across 90 pass-blocking snaps, with an 84.1 pass-blocking grade and 99.4 pass-blocking efficiency (PFF [$]). Suamataia's run blocking has been consistent throughout the season and good enough for what the Chiefs like to do, although nothing overwhelmingly positive.
When teams draft offensive linemen in the first two rounds, it's ideal to get a well-rounded blocker who can excel in both the running and passing game, but the latter is more important. As long as an offensive lineman can pass-protect well, they will have a successful NFL career.
It's still early in the season, and two games is a small sample size, but Kingsley Suamataia has played much better over the last couple of weeks. If he can continue this level of play down the stretch, combined with the return of Rashee Rice in Week 7, the Kansas City offense should continue to improve.
The Chiefs have an upcoming matchup with a Detroit Lions defensive line that isn't particularly strong on the interior. While the Lions have a strong edge rush, their defensive tackle group is underwhelming, which should set up another solid performance for the second-year player.
Less than a year ago, many in Chiefs Kingdom feared that Kingsley Suamataia was just another draft bust. Today, he's emerging as a promising guard with a bright future ahead. Although it didn't work out for him at left tackle, landing a starting-caliber guard late in the second round is still a significant win for the team.