Exploring Chiefs' options at swing tackle after Prince Tega Wanogho's injury

The Kansas City Chiefs' latest injury news should be of great concern to the team and fanbase. The Chiefs placed swing tackle Prince Tega Wanogho on injured reserve this week, with no indication of whether this will be a long-term or short-term injury. Wanogho enters his third season in the system with Kansas City and emerged as […]

Charles Goldman — NFL Managing Editor

Sep 28, 2023 12:45 PM EDT

The Kansas City Chiefs' latest injury news should be of great concern to the team and fanbase.

The Chiefs placed swing tackle Prince Tega Wanogho on injured reserve this week, with no indication of whether this will be a long-term or short-term injury. Wanogho enters his third season in the system with Kansas City and emerged as a swing tackle option after a brilliant training camp and a preseason that saw him surrender no pressures on 61 pass-blocking snaps.

Now, with Wanogho's future availability in question, the Chiefs will need to pivot to find another swing tackle option. They've got a pair of players on the 53-man roster who appear to be the likeliest candidates.

Who will take over as swing tackle for Prince Tega Wanogho?

With Wanogho out of the picture, Lucas Niang and Wanya Morris will be in contention for that swing tackle position, just as they were during training camp.

In terms of NFL experience, Niang has the third-round rookie edged out. Niang started nine games in 2021, including eight games at right tackle. In his ninth start, Niang suffered a season-ending patellar tendon injury while filling in for Orlando Brown Jr. at left tackle. He spent the majority of last season as a healthy scratch, yet he was active for Super Bowl LVII and they put him in the game for a play after Andrew Wylie had declared an eligible receiver on the play prior.

I did not realize that #Chiefs OT Lucas Niang was in the game at RT for Andrew Wylie in the Super Bowl on Skyy Moore's TD reception. Got help from Kelce on the blitz. Still, pretty big moment to rely on their backup, who is now potentially set to earn a bigger role in 2023. pic.twitter.com/LoF6MxZyFR
— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) March 14, 2023

That's a pretty big moment to trust Niang in, and frankly, it signals to me that they'll likely call on him in Wanogho's absence. This preseason, he allowed a single pressure in 70 pass-blocking snaps.

While Morris has the higher ceiling and could even wind up a starter down the line. He looked infinitely more comfortable on the right side of the offensive line during the 2023 NFL preseason. He played right tackle in Oklahoma during the final year of his college career, but he started out at left tackle with the Tennessee Volunteers. The Chiefs experimented with him playing on both sides of the line, but he allowed a preseason high among Kansas City's offensive linemen with five total pressures allowed on 65 pass-blocking snaps.

There could be one more option. . .

The Chiefs do have an intriguing player on the practice squad who flashed during the preseason despite never playing a down of organized football prior to the 2023 NFL preseason. International OL Jason "Chu" Godrick is on the practice squad as a part of the international player pathway program. We spoke to him after preseason Week 1 in what was a life-changing experience for the rookie.

While he's clearly inexperienced, he flashed elite ability during the preseason. Godrick appeared in 26 pass-blocking snaps and didn't allow a single pressure. He was called for a penalty, but that's probably to be expected when you've played as little football as he has. Ultimately, if Niang and Morris don't suffice, the Chiefs aren't lacking other options to explore.