Is Kingsley Suamataia the Chiefs' Biggest X-Factor in 2024?

The battle appears to be over for the right to protect Patrick Mahomes's blindside. Now the spotlight turns to rookie second-round pick Kingsley Suamataia.

Jul 22, 2024; St. Joseph, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia (76) walks down the hill from the locker room to the fields prior to training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Rookie left tackle Kingsley Suamataia isn't projected to play in the Kansas City Chiefs' preseason finale against the Chicago Bears on Thursday, and for good reason. The left tackle battle is over, and Suamataia will begin protecting Patrick Mahomes's blindside full-time in the first game of his NFL career on Thursday, September 5 against the Baltimore Ravens. This puts Suamataia in the spotlight to begin his NFL career, but his upside could give KC a massive advantage over the course of his rookie contract.

Suamataia was named the Chiefs' top "X-factor" by Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report, highlighting Suamataia's role in protecting the franchise.

"The NFL jump can be difficult for rookie linemen, even those with elite potential," Knox wrote. "If Suamataia can rise to the challenge, there's little doubt that Kansas City will be right back in the Super Bowl conversation. If he struggles, however, the Chiefs may have to alter their offensive game planning in order to protect their biggest asset. "

Is Kingsley Suamataia actually KC's biggest X-factor?

Just before the start of training camp, I highlighted Suamataia in two different On SI roundtables, picking the left tackle battle as the biggest story of camp and selecting Suamataia as the rookie who will have the biggest impact for the Chiefs in 2024. We've been discussing Suamataia's place in KC's three-peat campaign since before the Chiefs even drafted him.

While fellow rookie Xavier Worthy and a handful of defensive players may have an argument for the "biggest X-factor," I'm tripling-down on Suamataia as well. The rookie has three general ranges of outcomes as of now: He could be an elite player in his rookie season, he could be good-to-average, or he could be a problem. I've penciled him in as KC's likely starter since the team declined to re-sign veteran left tackle Donovan Smith, and after a strong camp and solid preseason, I'm buying the idea that the rookie will immediately be roughly as reliable as Smith in '24, while improving throughout his first NFL season while receiving every-down reps protecting the blindside of Patrick Mahomes.

To Knox's specific analysis, I'd argue that the Chiefs have already spent the majority of their last several seasons altering the offense to maximize the strengths and minimize the weaknesses of their left tackles. Smith and then-rookie Wanya Morris provided different challenges to the offense. Orlando Brown Jr. had some elite traits but also some weaknesses to adjust to. Even former No. 1 overall pick and longtime starter Eric Fisher had a unique set of skills that impacted how the offense treated its left tackle. Suamataia will have his own pluses and minuses, but that's nothing new for Mahomes or head coach Andy Reid.

Read More: Three Offensive Players With Something to Prove in Chiefs' Preseason Finale vs. Bears