Chiefs’ quiet approach at tackle sparks speculation as new veteran option hits market

At this point, the Kansas City Chiefs appear to be comfortable going forward into the stretch run of the '24 season with the youthful set of characters they've already acquired at left tackle. Despite ongoing injury concerns and consistency issues, the Chiefs have stuck to their (roster) guns, as they say, so perhaps they're indifferent to changes in the free agent market.

That said, if that's not entirely the case, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach might be keeping an eye on the latest addition to the potential player pool.

Veteran offensive tackle D.J. Humphries has been slowly and steadily making his way back from a torn ACL suffered last season (a la Chiefs pass rusher Charles Omenihu). NFL reporter Adam Schefter reports that he's finally been cleared to return to the field medically as the season heads into Week 12.

As of now, the Chiefs haven't made any moves at tackle outside of the organization, nor has there been any smoke about potential moves. That's a major statement considering the Chiefs have been active (or at least interested in) other deals at wide receiver, cornerback, and pass rusher in and around the trade deadline.

The reason for the worries, however, is that the team looks woefully thin outside in case of any further issues (and the fact that there are already consistency concerns with the performance at LT). Wanya Morris is currently holding things down, and he honestly deserves more credit than the average fan is giving him as someone who has taken over the starting role two years in a row when called upon. That said, if he experiences further hiccups or if any health scare arises, the Chiefs are in a bad place.

Kingsley Suamataia is a potential long-term option at left tackle as the team's second-round pick this spring out of BYU, but he's proven incapable of holding things down in this first season and he was relegated to the team's inactive list on Sunday for the first time.

In Suamataia's pace at LT2 is another rookie, an undrafted one at that, in Ethan Driskell out of Marshall. Driskell is a great story with some potential given his frame and athleticism. However, going into the winter months with zero experience behind an already young performer thrust into a starting role feels like a losing proposition when trying to protect the game's best quarterback.

Despite the situation, the Chiefs haven't been knocking on the door of last season's starter (that we know of) in Donovan Smith. Perhaps they were ready for another name to enter the field. If so, Humphries could be interesting.

Humphries was a first-round pick at No. 24 overall in the 2015 NFL Draft for the Cardinals and he's made 98 total starts since then. At 30 years old, he's younger than Smith and other vets on the open market, although the injury concerns are real here. He also missed most of the season in 2017, 2018, and 2022 with various health issues.

The Pro Bowl did come calling for Humphries in 2021, so the ceiling is there to be an above average performer when upright and healthy. Then again, it's impossible for anyone outside of the situation to predict whether he'd be an upgrade for the Chiefs' starting line.

At the very least, Humphries could provide some veteran leadership and security for a line that has so little experience hurtling toward the postseason. Or perhaps the Chiefs are ready to roll with prospects and let the rest of the vets along the line lead the way forward.