Andy Reid Teases Shocking New Responsibilities for Struggling Rookie
Rookies don't always find instant NFL success and Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia has learned that the hard way. The first-year blocker has struggled throughout the first three weeks of the 2024 season, leading to the Chiefs naming Wanya Morris as the starting left tackle for the upcoming Week 4 tilt against the Los Angeles Chargers.
With Suamataia set to take a backseat to Morris (at least for this week), Chiefs fans are wondering how the former will be used going forward. Kansas City head coach Andy Reid shared some insight on his plans for Suamataia during Monday's Zoom press conference and they're quite shocking, to say the least.
Chiefs News: Kingsley Suamataia to See TE Reps
Reid told the media on Monday that Suamataia will spend some time at tight end while Morris handles the starting LT duties, per Chiefs insider Charles Goldman. The Chiefs HC added that the duo still has a lot to work on because they're "young guys playing a tough position."
#Chiefs HC Andy Reid on Wanya Morris: "I thought Wanya did some good things in there. We'll probably stick with that. . . Kingsley rotated in and played some tight end and was able to get some good reps. Do they both have stuff to work on? Yes. They're young guys playing a tough…
— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) September 23, 2024
Reid made a point to highlight that it's important that Suamataia and Morris are "getting tested early" at this stage of their respective careers. Being a starting LT in the NFL is far from easy and facing a tough defense like the Los Angeles Chargers will help reveal just how good the pair can be.
It isn't a secret that Suamataia has struggled in protection this season. The first-year blocker has played to 42.0 pass block and 43.7 run block grades through three weeks, per Pro Football Focus, and has already allowed five pressures across 110 offensive snaps.
It's going to be interesting to see how Suamataia fares as a TE and just how many snaps he'll see at the position. According to PFF, the ex-BYU blocker saw two snaps at tight end against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3, however, he wasn't targeted on either opportunity.
At the same time, Suamataia seems to have the tools to handle being a TE. He has good size (6-foot-4, 326 pounds) and was ranked as the sixth-most athletic offensive tackle at the 2024 NFL Draft Combine. Considering how Travis Kelce has struggled this season, it might not be that surprising to see the Chiefs attempting to shake up the position.
We'll see how Suamataia and Morris handle their new responsibilities when Kansas City visits SoFi Stadium on Sunday. For now, FanDuel Sportsbook is listing the Chiefs as the 8.5-point road favorites over the Chargers in Week 4.
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