Reid: Chiefs Playing Long Game with 'Good Competition' for LT Job

As Kingsley Suamataia and Wanya Morris continue to battle for a starting gig, Kansas City doesn't appear ready to signal a leader.

Dec 31, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Wanya Morris (64) and running back Isiah Pacheco (10) at the line of scrimmage against the Cincinnati Bengals during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs may not have a ton of roster spots up for grabs, but there are several positions on the depth chart that have yet to be decided. Perhaps the most pressing question is who will start at left tackle, which has been the case for weeks.

As mandatory minicamp comes to a close, there doesn't appear to be an answer on the horizon. The ongoing battle between second-year man Wanya Morris and rookie Kingsley Suamataia is heating up, although it's too early to determine who's winning.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, head coach Andy Reid praised both players. He also indicated that Kansas City will continue to evaluate things deep into training camp.

"Listen, they've both done a nice job," Reid said. "So [we] like the production we're seeing from both of them. Both of them are young guys. We'll just see how it all finishes up through camp — it's a good competition. We're going to end up playing the five best guys, and we'll go from there. We'll just see how it all plays out."

From the moment the Chiefs selected Suamataia in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, he was viewed as good competition for Morris. After all, the BYU product is oozing with upside and is a good athlete with experience on both sides of the line. On the other hand, Morris had several quality moments during his brief 2023 stint filling in for Donovan Smith. With that said, his production wasn't good enough for Kansas City to declare him the unquestioned starter in the offseason.

Earlier this month, offensive line coach Andy Heck spoke glowingly of the entire offensive tackle group. Aside from the expected top two, he also threw in some other depth candidates who offer varying levels of intrigue.

“I feel very good about the talent we have here on this team on the roster now to create some good competition there," Heck said. "You have guys who have played in games like Wanya and Lucas Niang. Chu (Chukwuebuka Godrick) is an exciting developmental guy, and he’s been doing very well this spring, so we wanted to give him a look out there. That’ll be a work in progress, we’re going to give a lot of guys some looks there, Kingsley certainly, Ethan Driskell one of our young guys. I feel good about the tackle depth that we have here to create some good competition."

Over the next few weeks, the Chiefs won't learn anything new regarding their left tackle race. Once the team returns for camp in St. Joseph, MO, that's when things will get interesting. Those weeks between the start of camp and the end of the preseason will tell the club everything it needs to know.

Reid's positive feedback on Morris and Suamataia makes for a nice start. Now, it's on the players themselves to separate from the pack and help make the Chiefs' decision for them.

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