Kansas City Chiefs sign former Pro Bowler to add depth at left tackle, per report
Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach is adding depth to the team’s left tackle position.
Former Arizona Cardinals player DJ Humphries, a Pro Bowler in 2021, will be joining the Chiefs after getting medically cleared this week from a torn ACL, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported Friday evening.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Chiefs will be giving Humphries a $2 million contract that can reach up to $4.5 million.
Humphries, 30, is a former first-round pick of the Cardinals in 2015. He was a starter for eight seasons there before tearing his ACL on Dec. 31, 2023 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Humphries primarily played left tackle in the last seven seasons before he was released in March after his injury.
The transaction aims to solidify KC’s roster at a critical spot.
Second-year player Wanya Morris has performed better over the last few weeks, but the team’s depth was exposed against Denver on Nov. 10 when Morris left for more than 30 game minutes with a knee injury.
The Chiefs’ 2024 second-round pick, Kingsley Suamataia, had major struggles while filling in, twice allowing Denver’s Nik Bonitto to take the edge nearly untouched to pressure Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
That performance prompted the Chiefs to demote Suamataia the next week. He was left off the team’s game-day roster last Sunday against the Buffalo Bills in favor of undrafted free agent Ethan Driskell.
Humphries, then, appears to provide a safety net for the Chiefs at left tackle while potentially adding some late-season upside, should Morris’ play fall off.
The Chiefs (9-1) travel to face the Carolina Panthers at noon Central on Sunday.
This story was originally published November 22, 2024 at 6:06 PM.
