5 Chiefs on Thin Ice Following Trade Deadline

The NFL trade deadline came and went without the Kansas City Chiefs making much noise. That's because the defending Super Bowl Champions already made some key moves in the previous week, acquiring receiver DeAndre Hopkins and pass rusher Josh Uche from the Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots, respectively.

Even though the Chiefs boast the NFL's final remaining perfect record, not every player's performance has been flawless. Certain Kansas City players left much to be desired in the first half of the campaign, leaving time to tell if they can turn things around down the stretch.

Let's look at five Chiefs who are on thin ice after this year's trade deadline.

1. Wanya Morris, LT

Looking to reinforce the offensive line, the Chiefs used a 2024 second-round selection on Kingsley Suamataia. It didn't take Andy Reid's coaching staff long to show how much they trusted the rookie blocker, naming Suamataia as the starting left tackle before the season even began.

It only took two weeks to prove that was a mistake as the ex-BYU tackle struggled to prove that he was NFL-ready. With this season's ultimate goal being a third straight Super Bowl title, the Chiefs opted to replace the underperforming Suamataia with Wanya Morris, who played 16 games (4 starts) between the 2023 regular season and playoffs.

Unfortunately, Morris' presence hasn't been a positive for Kansas City's O-line. Having played 257 passing downs thus far, the ex-Oklahoma blocker has allowed 11 hurries, five quarterback hits, and three sacks while playing to a 55.8 offense grade — the No. 62 performance among 74 eligible tackles on Pro Football Focus.

Even though the Chiefs' LT options are limited, it's frustrating to watch Morris allow defenders to breeze by him every week. As good as this team is, winning another ring will be harder if the 24-year-old tackle keeps providing QB Patrick Mahomes with inadequate protection.