In the heart-pounding fourth quarter of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Black Friday duel against the Las Vegas Raiders, the Chiefs benched starting left tackle Wanya Morris after he struggled mightily throughout the game. This move is part of a larger storyline for the Chiefs this season as they have yet to find consistency at the left tackle position. Morris had stepped into the role after rookie Kingsley Suamataia was benched back in Week 2, but the team has continued to search for a reliable answer.
Enter D.J. Humphries, a former Arizona Cardinals left tackle, who recently signed with the Chiefs after getting the all-clear following his recovery from an ACL tear he suffered on December 31, 2023.
Humphries’ recovery milestone couldn’t have come at a better time, as Morris’s performance led to Joe Thuney moving from left guard to left tackle during the game, with backup Mike Caliendo stepping in at left guard. As a result, the Chiefs are accelerating Humphries’ return, hoping he can stabilize the position.
During a Monday media session, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was asked about Humphries’ preparation leading up to Sunday night’s clash with the Los Angeles Chargers. Reid expressed a cautious optimism, stating, “We’ll work him in and see how he feels.
That’s the main thing. He hadn’t played in a while, so I just want to make sure he’s in good position.
He did a nice job last week working in there, and we’ll do a little bit more with him this week.”
As for whether Humphries will make his Chiefs debut as a starter on Sunday night, Reid remained non-committal. “Last week was a short week, so we didn’t have a whole lot of time for the fast part of the game, practices, and so this week I’ll have a better idea as we go,” Reid commented. “We’ll just see how it all works out.”
Reid is also mindful of Humphries’ condition as he re-enters the NFL stage. “I don’t think that’s probably fair to D.J. right now, just him coming off this offseason,” he said, emphasizing the importance of playing it by ear. The focus remains on giving Humphries an opportunity if he’s ready, while avoiding rushing a decision that could jeopardize his progress.
If Humphries isn’t ready by game time, Reid indicated that shifting Thuney to left tackle remains a viable option. “Well, that’s another one of the options that we’ve got,” Reid acknowledged.
“We finished the game that way. I’d rather have Joe playing in at guard because he’s very good there, but Caliendo isn’t bad either, so that’s a good problem to have, but we’ve got some flexibility there as needed.”
The stage is set for a crucial decision as the Chiefs prepare for their matchup with the Chargers. With Humphries potentially stepping into the left tackle role, Kansas City fans are hopeful this will bring the consistency they’ve been searching for, allowing Patrick Mahomes and the offense to perform at the high level they’ve become known for.
