While most rosters across the NFL are pretty much set, there will be much shuffling between now and the start of the regular season.
Sometimes injuries force a team's hand, and other times a player just isn't the right fit or needs more time to develop. The Kansas City Chiefs have an interesting situation at the left tackle position.
As it stands now, there will be open competition for the starting job between rookie Kingsley Suamataia and second-year player Wanya Morris. Both guys have nice upside. Morris started four games last season and performed admirably overall. However, the Chiefs felt strongly enough about Suamataia to draft him 63rd overall in this past spring's draft.
Both may have bright futures, but the burning question is if either is ready to protect quarterback Patrick Mahomes' blindside on a full-time basis as the Chiefs attempt to become the first team in NFL history to three-peat. Entrusting a young, inexperienced player to do that at such an important position is a risky move.
There is some potential insurance for the Chiefs if they want it. Former All-Pro offensive tackle David Bakhtiari remains on the free agent market. Bakhtiari joined the Adam Schefter Podcast on Wednesday and revealed that he is feeling good after offseason knee surgery, and he wants to play with a Super Bowl MVP.
Obviously, the top guy on the list of possibilities to be Super Bowl MVP this year is Mahomes. The Chiefs are favorites to get back to the Super Bowl and Mahomes has three Super Bowl MVPs to his name, including the last two. Combine that with argument that K.C. has a need at left tackle, this match could make a lot of sense.
Bakhtiari has been named an All-Pro five times and a Pro Bowler three times throughout his 11-year career. He seemed to be on a Hall of Fame trajectory, but injuries have derailed him. Bakhtiari has missed 38 games over the last three seasons due to knee troubles, forcing the only team that he has played for - the Green Bay Packers - to release him this past March.
It's certainly possible that Bakhtiari never gets back to form, but some team is likely to take a chance on him. He is a low risk, potential high reward as he attempts to prove that he can still play at a high level. As far as the Chiefs go, they may want to see how Morris and Suamataia perform throughout the first couple of weeks of training camp before deciding to bring in Bakhtiari.
If they feel comfortable with one of them, it makes sense to leave it alone and stay young at the position. However, if neither guy is quite ready, not only could Bakhtiari solidify the Chiefs' offensive line, but it would be good for Morris and Suamataia to learn under him.
