The Kansas City Chiefs are making an important change to their offensive line hours before they're set to play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football.
Per Ian Rapoport with the NFL Network, the Chiefs plan to start Wanya Morris at left tackle against the Falcons, effectively benching rookie left tackle Kingsley Suamataia before his third career game.
Per Rapoport:
"Sources say Wanya Morris, the second-year offensive lineman, will start tonight's game as the left tackle and blindside protector for quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Second-round rookie Kingsley Suamataia heads to the bench. Suamataia, who won the starting job for the 2024 season, performed well in the 2024 NFL Kickoff Game but struggled in Week 2."
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 22, 2024
Per Pro Football Focus, Suamataia was credited with giving up two sacks to Bengals' defensive end Trey Hendrickson, and four total pressures in the Chiefs' narrow 26-25 win. He was penalized twice before being benched for Morris.
PFF has given Suamataia a 42.8 overall grade to start the season.
Morris played in 14 snaps against the Bengals. He was much better at protecting Patrick Mahomes' blindside than Suamataia while the Chiefs mounted a fourth-quarter comeback. Morris was penalized one time in Week 2.
In his 235 pass-blocking attempts, Morris gave up just two sacks in the 2023 season.
The Chiefs' exterior offensive linemen are set to battle against Falcons' pass rushers Grady Jarrett and Matthew Judon. Judon and Grady have a combined three sacks through the first two weeks of the season.
