6 Chiefs on Thin Ice Following the NFL Draft
By Joe Summers
5. Wanya Morris - LT
The selection of Kingsley Suamataia is terrible news for Lucas Niang, but it's a bad sign for 2023 third-round pick Wanya Morris as well. Morris had an opportunity to take over as the left tackle of the future with Donovan Smith heading to free agency, though Suamataia now provides stiff competition for that spot.
Suamataia wasted no time in letting Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs know they made the right pick, and Mahomes sounds excited to have the hulking BYU lineman potentially protecting his blindside.
That same level of excitement hasn't been extended to Morris. Veach made it clear that this would be a fair competition as well.
The plan for Kingsley Suamataia as of now is for him to compete with Wanya Morris at left tackle, per Brett Veach. Suamataia has the versatility to play on both sides, and he did so at BYU.
— Matt McMullen (@KCChiefs_Matt) April 29, 2024
Whether or not Morris earns the starting gig, he's an ideal backup tackle capable of playing on either side if necessary. He likely had bigger expectations entering his rookie year, especially after he fared well starting in Smith's place at the end of the year, but he hasn't shown the ceiling that Suamataia can provide.
Given the upcoming contract negotiations for Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith and potentially Joe Thuney, Kansas City needs young, team-friendly contracts wherever possible on the line.
Suamataia can provide a higher ceiling with an extra year of club control, giving him an advantage over Morris.