The wait is over. The D.J. Humphries experience has finally arrived.
For weeks and perhaps even months, Kansas City Chiefs fans have been waiting for some answer at the left tackle position. While younger players have proven lacking as the team attempts to maintain a firm grip on the No. 1 seed in the AFC, the Chiefs took their time to address those concerns with a player acquisition.
Finally, Humphries was signed a couple of weeks ago after he was medically cleared to return to the field following the rehabilitation of a severe knee injury suffered late last NFL season. The Chiefs seized the opportunity to bring him in and Humphries has been working his way up the depth chart ever since.
Now it's clear that he's ready to take over the starting spot with the Chiefs ready to host the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 14.
Per @mattderrick DJ Humphries will start at LT Sunday vs the Chargers
— Sterling Holmes (@HomestretchKC) December 6, 2024
Sunday Night Football will feature the debut of D.J. Humphries at left tackle.
The Chiefs find themselves in primetime once again on Sunday Night Football this week and at the beginning of a tough stretch of games to complete the regular season. The streak includes three games in 10 days in late December, including a Christmas Day showdown and big defensive battles against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans.
The ability to bolster the left tackle role at this point in the season is a gift after watching the likes of Kingsley Suamataia and Wanya Morris struggle for much of the season. Morris has played solid football at times, but he's been playing through the pain of a bone bruise, per reports, which has clearly hindered his ability to protect Patrick Mahomes' blindside.
A healthy Morris might be able to get the job done in the long term. It's also possible Suamataia is still every bit the franchise left tackle the Chiefs are hoping he can be. However for this next stretch of games and the postseason run following it, the Chiefs needed an infusion of proven help.
Humphries comes to the Chiefs as a long-term starting left tackle with the Arizona Cardinals after being the team's first-round selection in the 2016 NFL Draft. He has 98 career starts to his credit. The Chiefs are his first home outside of Arizona.