Chiefs Reveal Surprise Leader in Left Tackle Training Camp Battle
Today isn't as significant as something like the preseason opener (not to mention the regular season opener). But it's still a major day for the Kansas City Chiefs: the first full-pad practice at training camp.
The team is starting to practice in more realistic full-speed scenarios, which gives us a much better picture of how they will look this season than we can get from helmets-only practices in the summer. And one of the big reveals has come with a sign as to who is leading in a key training camp battle.
First day in padsat camp for the Chiefs and Kingsley Suamataia is the first team left tackle
— Adam Teicher (@adamteicher) July 26, 2024
Chiefs News: Kingsley Suamataia Starting at Left Tackle
For the first full-pad practice of training camp, rookie Kingsley Suamataia is lined up as the first-team left tackle on the Chiefs offensive line.
A second-round steal in the 2024 NFL Draft, Suamataia is expected to battle with Wanya Morris to start as the anchor of the offensive line, protecting Patrick Mahomes' blindside for the upcoming season.
There is still plenty of time for the battle to shift, but this is a very significant development. Teams typically lean in favor of their veterans early in training camp, with even obvious rookie starters sometimes having to "earn" their job from a veteran. Holding an early lead is a very encouraging sign for Suamataia.
Of course, Morris isn't exactly a long-time veteran. A third-round pick in 2023, Morris started four games in his rookie season last year, and he didn't do much to show that he deserved to keep that job.
Across his 340 snaps, Morris struggled to the tune of a 55.6 overall grade from PFF. He did better in pass protection (63.4) than in run blocking (47.1), and protecting Mahomes is obviously the top priority, but that poor overall play is hard to overlook. And it's a big part of why the Chiefs drafted Suamataia.
Another sign of how high the team may be on their rookie is that they opted not to bring in any free agents to compete for the job despite this year featuring a pretty solid class of veterans looking for new teams.
Of course, expect Morris to get his chance with the first team as well. The coaching staff will want to see how each guy gels with the starting unit (especially in live game action in the preseason) before making any calls on who will start in the regular season. For now, though, it seems to be Suamataia's job to lose.
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