Throughout this week, the Kansas City Chiefs have been monitoring the status of offensive tackle D.J. Humphries, who is dealing with a hamstring injury, ahead of their Week 15 matchup against the Cleveland Browns on the road.
Recently signed as a free agent to bolster the Chiefs' offensive line, Humphries underwent an MRI earlier this week to evaluate the severity of the issue. Hamstring injuries can be unpredictable, ranging from mild concerns that players can play through to severe strains requiring weeks of rest.
As the week went on, Humphries continued to miss practice sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. By Friday, Humphries was also out and it looked pretty certain that he would miss. On Saturday, the Chiefs made it official to declare Humphries "out" for the game.
Humphries was brought in to reinforce the line with his experience and physicality, but his absence means Wanya Morris should be expected to slide back into the left tackle role, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the Chiefs' offensive setup.
Morris has struggled in his later appearances for the Chiefs as he's attempted to play through the pain of a bone bruise. If that continues, the Chiefs could have a very difficult time up front against Myles Garrett and company, despite the Browns' record with only three wins on the season.
While Humphries will be missed up front, the Chiefs are undoubtedly more concerned with his ability to be healthy when the games are one-and-done in the postseason. If they have to make adjustments up front until then, that's just the cost of doing business in a league where attrition is part of the game for every franchise.