Did Wanya Morris Open Some Eyes With His Week 12 Cameo?

Injuries are never ideal for NFL teams or players, but they do occasionally present some silver linings that shape seasons and offseasons alike. 

When Donovan Smith went down with a stinger in Sunday's Kansas City Chiefs win over the Las Vegas Raiders, could another one of those instances have happened?

With Smith temporarily out of the lineup and Prince Tega Wanogho on the injured reserve list, Kansas City called on rookie Wanya Morris to step in. The third-round pick logged just five snaps in the third quarter, albeit five snaps in the middle of a divisional rivalry game and with no notice provided beforehand. Thrust into action, Morris performed admirably and even caught the attention of head coach Andy Reid in the process.

“He did a nice job," Reid said. "He played well for the couple plays that he was in there, physical. Good to get him a couple [of] reps in there.” 

Morris, the No. 93 overall selection back in April, came into the NFL Draft as a tackle prospect with some clear strengths and weaknesses. Testing well in the pre-draft process confirmed what most already thought about his athleticism, and his experience at both tackle spots was a plus. With that said, it was unclear whether his future resided on the left or right side and he didn't appear to be ready to step in and start immediately. Those question marks persisted during his first professional offseason and into the preseason. 

A few months later, Morris is playing sparingly but has a taste of what it's like to have his number called while live bullets are flying around. Aside from one pass-blocking rep on Sunday, he had a very promising set of snaps. Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy agrees with Reid's observations, adding that Morris's readiness may have opened some eyes and serves as a friendly reminder to his fellow reserves to always be prepared. 

"I liked what Wanya did," Nagy said. "I mean, coming in like that, those five snaps he had were good [and] they were physical. We saw that in college with him. Another young rookie that is, right now, getting mental reps all year long and is preparing himself the right way for that moment. He came in and did a great job. I think it's probably a lesson, more than anything, for all of these guys. If you're suited up and you're there on that sideline, you better know what to do at any given moment. When your time comes and that opportunity comes, try to open up some eyes. And I think he did that." 

Smith has been a full participant in practice this week, so there isn't any concern about his availability for this week's game versus the Green Bay Packers. On the other side of the offensive line, Jawaan Taylor may not be living up to his contract but remains a promising player anyway. That doesn't leave much room for Morris as things currently stand. As Week 12 showed, though, being thrown into the fire is sometimes just one play away. Kansas City will have to assess its tackle picture during the offseason, and it's possible that this specific game — even with so few snaps for the rookie — could factor into that logic.