The Kansas City Chiefs entered Week 14 with an 11-1 record that had the back-to-back Super Bowl champions at the top of the AFC standings.
While their record looks impressive on the surface, the Chiefs have scraped by with nine wins of one score or less amid uncharacteristic struggles by quarterback Patrick Mahomes on offense.
Ahead of Kansas City’s key divisional matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers on “Sunday Night Football,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Andy Reid is expected to name a brand new starter.
The goal of the move is to solve the biggest problem ailing Mahomes: a lack of protection from the left tackle position.
Buffalo Bills players Von Miller and Greg Rousseau sack Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15).
Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
NFL insider Ian Rapaport also confirmed that the Chiefs are expected to start D.J. Humphries at left tackle against the Chargers. Mahomes talked up how “impressed” he was with his new protector in a press conference earlier this week.
A 2021 Pro Bowl selection, Humphries made 98 career starts in eight seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. He was released by Arizona on March 13 after being placed on injured reserve on Jan. 3.
The 30-year-old offensive lineman was signed by the Chiefs two weeks ago after seeing the struggles of Wanya Morris, who started the last 10 games as the protector of Mahomes’ blind side.
Morris has given up five sacks and 10 penalties this season, earning a 50.7 overall grade by Pro Football Focus that ranks 108th out of 131 offensive tackles.
Through the first 12 games of the 2024 season, Mahomes was sacked 32 times. For comparison, Mahomes was only dropped in the backfield 17 times in the first 12 games of the 2023 season.
If he starts, Humphries will be the third player to start at left tackle for the Chiefs this season. Morris took over for rookie Kingsley Suamataia in Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons.
The problems on the offensive line have not harmed the Chiefs’ record yet, but the coaching staff saw this week’s primetime matchup with the 8-4 Chargers as an important time to try to address Mahomes’ big issue.
