Atlanta sent a 2027 sixth-round pick to Kansas City for Morris and a seventh-rounder
The Atlanta Falcons added offensive line depth Today by acquiring tackle Wanya Morris from the Kansas City Chiefs in a swap of late-round draft picks. Atlanta sent a 2027 sixth-round selection to Kansas City and received Morris along with a 2027 seventh-round pick in return.
The move addresses a specific and pressing need. Right tackle Kaleb McGary retired suddenly this offseason at 31, leaving a gap on a line that was already managing multiple injury situations heading into the summer.
Why the Falcons needed this
The urgency of the Falcons trade becomes clearer when you understand Atlanta’s quarterback situation. The Falcons have two left-handed quarterbacks competing for the starting job: Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. New head coach Kevin Stefanski and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees plan to run more plays under center this season, which places a premium on right tackle play. For a left-handed quarterback, the right side is the blindside, meaning the position carries the same importance it would on the left for a conventional right-handed passer.
Jawaan Taylor, who signed with the Falcons in free agency after being released by Kansas City, was brought in to address the right tackle need. But Taylor has been absent from voluntary organized team activities this spring for undisclosed reasons. Michael Jerrell, acquired in a trade last year from Seattle, has been taking most of the first-team reps during open practices. Storm Norton was the only veteran reserve option before Thursday, and the Falcons placed Norton on the physically unable to perform list the same day they finalized the Morris trade.
What Morris brings
Morris, 25, was a third-round pick by the Chiefs in 2023 out of Oklahoma and is a Georgia native who grew up in the Atlanta metropolitan area, attending Grayson High School in the Atlanta suburbs. He started 16 games across three seasons in Kansas City, including 11 in 2024 when he stepped into the left tackle role. His 2024 campaign ended with a benching late in the season in favor of All-Pro guard Joe Thuney, who shifted over to better protect Patrick Mahomes. Morris made just one start in 2025, in early December against the Houston Texans, before suffering a season-ending left knee injury on the game’s opening snap.
He has one year remaining on his rookie contract.
Why Kansas City moved on
Morris had clearly lost ground on the Chiefs’ depth chart by the time minicamp arrived this week. He was working primarily with the scout team during recent practices as Kansas City gave more repetitions to younger players who had moved ahead of him, including undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson, who started at right tackle for national champion Indiana last season and drew strong reviews from coach Andy Reid during mandatory minicamp. The Chiefs also have veteran Jaylon Moore and 2025 first-round pick Josh Simmons anchoring their tackle corps, giving them the depth to move Morris without significant risk.
For Morris, the Falcons trade offers a genuine opportunity to compete for a starting job rather than continue developing behind players the Chiefs have already committed to.
The bigger picture for Atlanta
The Falcons enter training camp with an offensive line that has multiple moving parts. Jake Matthews remains the established starter at left tackle. Taylor is the projected right tackle if healthy. Morris now sits behind Taylor as the primary backup and competition piece on the right side, with Jerrell also in the mix.
The quarterback competition between Tagovailoa and Penix adds another dimension. Whichever player wins the starting job will need consistent protection on his blindside to function effectively in the offense Stefanski and Rees are building. The Morris acquisition is a low-cost move that gives Atlanta one more experienced option to work with as that evaluation unfolds over the summer.