The Kansas City Chiefs' Thanksgiving Day loss to the Dallas Cowboys wasn't only costly to the standings, but to an offensive line that took a major hit. Right tackle Jawaan Taylor exited the game with an elbow injury and wouldn't return. It seemed that this signaled a level of seriousness for an injury that the Chiefs couldn't afford to sustain, already missing starting right guard Trey Smith. Smith is dealing with both a high and low ankle sprain and is expected to miss substantial time with the injury.
Making matters worse, standout rookie left tackle Josh Simmons was lost as well with a wrist injury. This sets up a huge problem for the Chiefs with Mike Caliendo being forced to start on the inside, and Jaylon Moore replacing one of the injured tackles. There is a very real possibility we will see Wanya Morris in the Kansas City starting lineup, which doesn't spark much confidence.
- Update (Nov. 28, 10:20 a.m. ET): On Friday morning, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that Simmons "will likely head to (injured reserve)," meaning he'd be forced to miss at least the next four games.
Morris was benched for a reason in 2024 with the Chiefs reaching a level of desperation that caused the franchise to put standout veteran guard Joe Thuney on the outside. This speaks to just how frustrating Morris was and why the Chiefs are clearly in trouble if the tackle is forced into the starting lineup.
Wanya Morris Potentially Starting Would Be a Chiefs Disaster
It is important to point out that clear timelines are yet to be set for the returns of Smith, Simmons, or Taylor, as the Chiefs are now entering a mini bye week. Having played on Thursday, there is extra rest before Kansas City takes on the Houston Texans on Sunday Night Football in Week 14. It could be exactly what the team needs, after head coach Andy Reid made it clear that he's unsure of when his injured players will return to action.
This is obviously going to be incredibly difficult if you're forced to put Morris into the starting lineup. It is a great way to guarantee that quarterback Patrick Mahomes is going to be under consistent duress and take punishment you don't want to see your quarterback absorb. Morris' performance left much to be desired last season, as he surrendered 35 pressures (23 hurries, seven hits, five sacks) on 453 passing downs, resulting in a career-worst 55.4 pass block grade on Pro Football Focus. That's without mentioning the 10 penalties he was flagged for.
With this in mind, the Chiefs should have a sense of urgency when it comes to getting their offensive line healthy.
Free agency lacks any clear options at tackle, and Kansas City's depth is exhausted if they are going to be missing three offensive linemen in Week 14. It is the absolute worst moment to be missing starters with Houston's pass rush being tied for the sixth-most sacks in the league (33) and giving up the fewest yards allowed per game (264.3).
Putting Morris in off the bench against this level of pass rush is sure to give the Chiefs an incredibly uphill battle in a game they cannot afford to lose. Hopefully, if he is thrust into the spotlight, Morris can handle whatever's thrown his way. Otherwise, he could be a key reason why the season might end on a sour note.