Chiefs Roster: Setting expectations for Wanya Morris in Year 2

A camp competitors can be brewing for the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ beginning left sort out spot in 2024. The 2 candidates can be rookie Kingsley Suamataia and second-year participant Wanya Morris.

Many followers are clamoring for Suamataia to take the function and run with it, however Morris has the benefit of expertise — he began 4 video games in 2024 — and in a extremely advanced offense similar to Kansas Metropolis’s, this might pay dividends.

As a result of nature of the NFL, it appears inevitable that Morris will see the sphere sooner or later in 2024, however it should come all the way down to his efficiency in coaching camp and the preseason that can resolve if he is able to tackle the full-time beginning job.

2023 in assessment

A 3rd-round draft decide in 2023, Morris entered the season because the seemingly candidate to be the Chiefs’ swing sort out. After a late-season harm sidelined Donovan Smith for 4 video games, Morris stuffed in with blended outcomes.

Morris displayed the flexibility to be a powerful run-blocker, utilizing his measurement and power to bully defenders off the ball, in addition to exhibiting off his tenacity to complete performs.

The run-blocking from Morris was optimistic, and his go safety proved to be a pleasant shock as he had many spectacular one-on-one snaps.

Morris usually used his lengthy attain and robust grip power to cease defenders of their tracks and win performs earlier than they might even get going. Regardless of the optimistic performs, he nonetheless made a number of rookie errors and lapses in method that finally induced him to be crushed.

Regardless of some points, Morris finally did his job. He was in a position to fill in at a essential place and held his personal down the road. Regardless of this, the Chiefs drafted Suamataia within the second spherical, setting the stage for a camp battle.

For Morris to win the job, he might want to clear up the problems together with his recreation that induced him to battle at instances as a rookie whereas additionally exhibiting that he’s an improved participant total.

Expectations for 2024

As of proper now, the Chiefs will want both Morris or Suamataia to step up and never solely win but additionally show he may be the staff’s beginning left sort out. The expectation can be that the participant who doesn’t win the job will find yourself the staff’s swing sort out.

Whereas the staff might have completely different concepts for every participant, Morris ought to are available with the expectation that he could make the mandatory enhancements to his recreation and show that he may be the long-term answer at left sort out.

The most important factor that Morris might want to clear up is his method in go safety.

At instances, Morris confirmed lapses in go safety — and in opposition to All-Professional caliber gamers like Trey Hendrickson, these errors value him enormously.

With no assist from a again or tight finish, Morris is on their own on the island in opposition to Hendrickson. He wants to remain sq. in his vertical go safety, however because the play progresses, he turns his shoulders towards Hendrickson, giving a better rush angle.

Morris tries to throw each of his fingers and land a strike, however he doesn’t convey sufficient power with them, and Hendrickson simply knocks them away. This offers Hendrickson the flexibility to bend the arc, and because of his poor positioning within the go set, Morris has no likelihood to get better.

The play ends in a strip sack for Hendrickson and the lack of the soccer for the Chiefs.

This play displayed a few of Morris’s evident points as a rookie, however it’s disappointing to see snaps like this as a result of when Morris was at his greatest, his recreation was spectacular.

Towards Hendrickson, Morris is ready to keep sq. to the road and make contact with out turning his hips to the sideline. This time, his strike lands with power and stops Hendrickson in his tracks. With good inside fingers and a stable anchor, Morris makes use of his lengthy arms to take management of Hendrickson. Because the play progresses, Hendrickson is getting nowhere, so he begins to lean ahead to battle in opposition to the iron grip of Morris. As quickly as he begins to lean, Morris makes use of his robust grip to grab him to the bottom.

The inconsistencies in go blocking want work, however Morris is properly on his strategy to being a plus-level run blocker.

The sting defender needs to sit down on the line, attempting to lock out Morris to learn and react to he play. As Morris fires out of his stance, he locks on to the sting rusher however makes use of a pleasant forklift to take away the defender’s hand from his physique, and he begins to drive.

By no means one to give up on a play early, Morris fights via the block and, on the finish of the play, joins his fellow linemen to push the pile for a couple of further yards.

When mixed with stable method, Morris’s show of uncooked energy is sufficient to present how excessive his ceiling as a participant may be when he places his recreation collectively.

The underside line

Morris has loads of work to do to change into the Chiefs beginning left sort out in 2024, however he has the expertise and the instruments to win the job. With the proper mixture of measurement, energy, and size, Morris has the bodily items to win the job, however he should hone in on his method and consistency.

The Chiefs don’t have time to attend for Morris to work on the little points of his recreation, and so they confirmed this by drafting Suamataia within the second spherical. This can stress each gamers heading into coaching camp, but it surely ought to create the competitors the staff wants to search out their left sort out.

In one other setting, Morris might have been given the reigns because the starter after his efficiency in 2023, however the Chiefs are in pursuit of one thing unprecedented, and so they can go away nothing to likelihood.