Would Chiefs consider adding a free agent at left tackle? What Andy Reid said Monday

The Kansas City Chiefs received a rough outing — to say the least — from rookie left tackle Kingsley Suamataia during Sunday’s 16-14 home victory over the Denver Broncos.

Suamataia, who filled in for injured teammate Wanya Morris in the second and third quarters, surrendered four pressures to Denver’s Nik Bonitto in 11 one-on-one matchups, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.

Morris gutted it out and returned in the fourth quarter following his earlier knee injury, but the time before that exposed a potential weakness for KC at backup left tackle.

Given that reality, are the Chiefs considering bringing an outside free agent for depth purposes?

When asked that question during his Monday press conference, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said general manager Brett Veach made those final decisions.

“He looks at everything. I’m not going to say, ‘No,’” Reid said of a potential transaction to add a left tackle. “But what we do as coaches — and we’ve overemphasized — we’re going to focus in on these kids that are here.”

Suamataia’s final evaluation from Sunday, as expected, was not pretty. He earned a 25.6 pass-blocking grade at Pro Football Focus (60 is average), which ranked 48th out of 49 NFL tackles who played at least half their team’s snaps this week.

Reid delivered some good news related to Morris on Monday, saying that the second-year tackle would “end up being OK when it’s all said and done here as far as his leg goes.” Morris left for just over 30 game minutes Sunday after he had his knee rolled up on by a Broncos defender.

The Chiefs would seem to have a few outside free-agent options, if they looked that direction. Former Packers All-Pro David Bakhtiari, who is 33, remains available, and just last week he sent out a tweet directed at Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes while hinting he’d like to join KC.

Another possibility would be 31-year-old Donovan Smith, who played left tackle for the Chiefs last season and remains unsigned. He also seems open to a return; when former Chiefs offensive lineman Jeff Allen asked Sunday on social media if Smith was still available, Smith responded with a shrugging GIF.

On Monday, Reid preached patience with his young guys despite the difficult stretch.

“They’re getting better. I know it’s hard to see at times, but there’s progress being made,” Reid said. “We’re going to be OK as we go forward.”

Specifically relating to Suamataia, Reid said he would “learn from what he had there and keep getting better.”

Reid was also impressed by the Broncos’ front lines on both offense and defense, saying the Chiefs were “tested in a couple spots” during Sunday’s win.

“It’ll help us grow, is what it’ll help us do — and in particular at that tackle position,” Reid said. “We’re young at the left tackle spot. We’ll keep getting better as we go and experience some of these things.”