“You grow up watching the Falcons and then end up playing for them. It’s kind of cool.” Wanya Morris said this after the Atlanta Falcons sent a 2027 sixth-round pick to acquire the former Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle, along with a 2027 seventh-round pick, in a trade back in June. Morris grew up admiring Michael Vick, and later Matt Ryan led the Falcons’ offense, and the 25-year-old still has Vick’s jersey in his closet.

For Morris, it was a dream homecoming as he prepared to compete for an offensive tackle role in Atlanta. Unfortunately, his tenure with the Falcons didn’t last long, as the team released him ahead of the regular-season opener during the roster-cut deadline. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported Sunday that Atlanta had waived the offensive tackle.

The Falcons had a dire need to add an OT heading into the offseason, especially after Kaleb McGary’s retirement, who had been the Falcons’ starting right tackle since 2019. To address the void, the Falcons first signed the former Chief, Jawaan Taylor, during the offseason. A couple of months later, they onboarded Wanya Morris as well.

At the same time, however, the Falcons had another problem on the offensive line. Storm Norton missed the 2025 season after suffering an ankle injury, which required surgery. Ahead of the 2026 season, Atlanta expected Norton to provide swing-tackle depth. However, he was later placed on the Reserve/PUP list in June.

So, when the Falcons traded for Morris, the 25-year-old was expected to provide a depth option as a swing tackle with a legitimate starting option.

“When you have opportunities to improve the roster, you’re always going to take those, especially up front,” Falcons assistant general manager Jeff Scott said at the time of the trade. “We believe in building it up front, and we’re going to take a number of different swings and continue to try to build. (The injury bug) is a natural part of our game and you have to be prepared, and that’s what building that depth and building the bottom of the room is about.”

However, while Morris entered camp with a legitimate opportunity, he wasn’t able to separate himself from the other offensive tackles competing for the roster spots. For a broader context, Michael Jerrell emerged as the key competition at right tackle.

Initially, Jawaan Taylor was expected to take the starting right tackle role. However, he didn’t practice during the summer because of an undisclosed injury. That gave Jerrell first-team opportunities, and he impressed enough to make the roster, especially during the preseason campaign.

Across his two preseason appearances, Jerrell played a combined 72 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. While he struggled against the Denver Broncos, the offensive tackle turned heads against the Indianapolis Colts. Against the Colts, he recorded the third-highest grade (72.2) in run-blocking.

At the same time, Morris missed more than a week with a toe injury and needed a ramp-up period. Subsequently, Atlanta reportedly explored trading Morris before ultimately deciding to release him as part of their roster cuts. The Falcons ultimately kept nine offensive linemen on their initial 53-man roster. Morris, meanwhile, was waived along with the other offensive linemen.

Morris, 25, was Kansas City’s third-round pick, No. 92 overall, in the 2023 NFL Draft. He played 43 games for the Chiefs and made four starts as a rookie, when the Chiefs reached Super Bowl LVIII and won the championship. The following year, he had a much larger role, starting 111 games at left tackle.

That opportunity opened after rookie Kingsley Suamataia struggled early in the season. Morris moved into the starting lineup and remained there for much of the year, having already made four starts during his rookie season.

Morris eventually lost the left tackle job later that season as Kansas City searched for a more reliable answer. Veteran D.J. Humphries was added, but he played only 92 offensive snaps over the final seven weeks.

The Chiefs ultimately moved All-Pro guard Joe Thuney to left tackle, a move that became their preferred solution. By the time his Chiefs tenure ended, Morris had made 16 starts. His playing time had dropped, though, as Kansas City turned to other options along the offensive line.

Morris also spoke about staying prepared during that period, knowing his role could change from one week to the next.

“Things can change in a matter of seconds. You can’t slack. You can’t chill out. You’ve got to go out there each and every play,” Morris said.

Now, Wanya Morris has found a new home, as the offensive tackle is joining the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad, per Mike Garafolo. Atlanta, meanwhile, kept Jerrell and seventh-round pick Ethan Onianwa, leaving the team with other options at tackle as it finalized the 53-man roster.

Chiefs’ Own Tackle Depth Concerns Resurface Just Months Later

The timing carries some irony for Kansas City. Just two months after trading Morris away, the Chiefs found themselves scrambling to add tackle depth of their own during final roster cuts.

Starting left tackle Josh Simmons has been dealing with a back injury that kept him out of practice for more than a week and sidelined him for the Chiefs’ final two preseason games. Head coach Andy Reid addressed the situation directly.

“It’s going to take a little bit of time here, but he’s a hard worker when it comes to these types of things. It’s just a matter of eliminating some of the pain that he has and making sure he has enough strength there,” Reid said.

Kansas City added two more offensive linemen shortly before the roster deadline. General manager Brett Veach brought in Joshua Ezeudu from the New York Giants and Diego Pounds from the Baltimore Ravens in separate trades made within days of each other. The timing of those moves showed how quickly the Chiefs’ situation along the line had changed.

Morris will now go through the waiver process. Teams have 24 hours to place a claim on him, and at this point in the offseason, the 2026 draft order determines which team gets priority. Practice squads can also begin taking shape Monday, giving Morris another possible route back into the NFL even if he goes unclaimed.

Morris still has three seasons of NFL experience and a Super Bowl championship on his résumé. His next opportunity will depend on what happens during the waiver process and whether a team decides to bring him in afterward.