Teams usually give veterans the advantage over rookies in a training camp duel, but not always.
Today is not as significant as the preseason opening (or the regular season opener). However, it is still a significant day for the Kansas City Chiefs, as it marks the first full-pad session of training camp.
The squad is beginning to practice in more realistic full-speed circumstances, which provides a much better sense of how they will look this season than helmet-only practices during the summer. One of the major revelations has been an indication of who is leading a vital training camp battle.
Chiefs News: Kingsley Suamataia Starting at Left Tackle
For the Chiefs’ first full-pad session of training camp, rookie Kingsley Suamataia is lining up as the first-team left tackle.
Suamataia, a second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, is set to compete with Wanya Morris for the starting job as the offensive line’s anchor, guarding Patrick Mahomes’ blind side this season.
There is still plenty of time for the battle to shift, but this is a major development. Early in training camp, teams often lean in favor of their veterans, with even obvious rookie starters having to “earn” their job from an experienced player. Suamataia’s ability to maintain an early lead is quite encouraging.
Of again, Morris isn’t exactly a seasoned veteran. Morris, a third-round pick in 2023, started four games in his rookie season last year and did little to demonstrate why he deserved to hold the job.
First day in padsat camp for the Chiefs and Kingsley Suamataia is the first team left tackle
— Adam Teicher (@adamteicher) July 26, 2024
Morris struggled during his 340 plays, earning a 55.6 overall rating from PFF. He performed better in pass protection (63.4) than in run blocking (47.1), and while protecting Mahomes is clearly the first objective, his poor overall performance is difficult to overlook. It’s one of the main reasons the Chiefs drafted Suamataia.
Another indication of how high the organization may place their rookie is that they chose not to bring in any free agents to compete for the job, despite this year’s rather strong class of veterans searching for new teams.
Of course, Morris should have his chance with the first team as well. Before making any decisions about who will start in the regular season, the coaching staff will want to examine how each player fits in with the starting lineup (especially in real game action during the preseason). For the time being, however, it appears that Suamataia’s job is to lose.
