Chiefs HC Andy Reid content with letting young players continue to develop at key position moving forward
As the wide receiver position continues to garner much attention for the Kansas City Chiefs, left tackle remains an underrated concern.
Kingsley Suamataia, who the Chiefs selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, quickly won the starting left tackle job during training camp. He looked good in both camp and preseason, but that success did not translate over to the regular season.
After struggling mightily in Week's 1 and 2, Suamataia was benched for second-year man Wanya Morris. Even though Morris has been an upgrade, it really hasn't been by much. The Chiefs' coaching staff has sent a lot of help on Morris' side and quarterback Patrick Mahomes has masked a lot of issues with his elite ability to navigate the pocket.
When asked what his vision for the left tackle spot is for the rest of the season, Andy Reid gave a vote of confidence to both Morris and Suamataia's growth process.
"Yeah, we obviously looked at that and just, you know, both of them can do better," Reid said. "And so, Wanya knows what he's got to work on. And likewise, Kingsley does. And we're lucky to have both the guys. Both are young guys, and we're kind of growing with them here. So, we'll just kind of let that process keep rolling."
Whether it's Suamataia or Morris, it's going to be vital to the Chiefs' success that there is an improvement in play at left tackle. Mahomes can make up for a lot of deficiencies, but keeping him under duress is a dangerous tempting of fate for an injury. He is also going to continue to struggle to stay in rhythm throwing the ball and building chemistry with his receivers.
It seems as though the Chiefs will stick with Morris as the starter, but he could be on a short leash if he goes cold. However, it could be detrimental to Suamataia's development if they turn back to him but he continues to struggle. It may be in Suamataia's best interest to continue to develop as a backup and try again to be a starter in 2025.
Not to be disregarded, however, is the Chiefs' track record of developing young players as the season goes on. Guys like Rashee Rice, Chamarri Conner, Bryan Cook and Jaylen Watson have stepped up late in recent seasons to help K.C. win huge postseason games. If Morris or Suamataia can follow suit, the Chiefs' offense will take a major step forward.
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