With a season filled with mounting injuries, the Chiefs are limping towards a possible 3-peat. And now, a veteran offensive tackle has joined the team on the practice field. Earlier this week, the Kansas City Chiefs signed free agent, OT DJ Humphries. Although they have yet to announce their new signing, Humphries can be a big help to the team’s left tackle. But when exactly he will be able to help out is yet to be known. And from the looks of it, Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy thinks it’s best to take it “day by day.”

Humphries recently cleared to return to football activities after he sustained a torn ACL with the Arizona Cardinals last season and is set for a comeback (hopefully). The Chiefs reeled him in as a veteran option at left tackle, but it is yet to be seen if he can play the Black Friday game against the Raiders. And we all know Mahomes wouldn’t mind having reinforcements as soon as possible. However, Nagy feels it can take some time. “Honestly, I don’t know [when Humphries will be ready],” Nagy told reporter Charles Goldman. “I think it’s probably day by day as you go through to see where he’s at. There’s so much that goes into it… You want to make sure you’re making the best judgment, not just for the team, but for the player too.” The offensive coordinator also feels the motto right now is to keep it simple.

While HC Reid has not spoken about how the team will utilize Humphries, the veteran OT might be limited to practices for now. “I think if you keep it that simple, that’s important. And you know, with Wanya [Morris] and Kingsley [Suamataia] and all these other guys that are playing for us right now, just keep improving in practice, but just become a part of what we’re doing, and just try to be the best him he can be,” Nagy said talking about how DJ Humphries should keep playing the way “he’s been playing his entire career.”

Although Humphries has had an up-and-down career, staying productive and useful has never been a problem for the OT. Drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in 2015 as the 24th overall pick, the 6-foot-5, 307-pound can surely protect his quarterback when the time comes. And that is probably what Mahomes is looking forward to the most.

Patience could be the key with Humphries for the Chiefs

Despite their shiny 10-1, the Chiefs are far from being a dominant team in their top form. Close wins are the team’s saving grace at the moment. So, a freshly cleared veteran can be the answer to some problems. Out of the 10 wins they have this season, 5 of them came down to the final play. The offensive line has been weak, resulting in Mahomes getting sacked 15 times. The key issue? Inconsistency at offensive tackle from players like Wanya Morris and Jawaan Taylor. Morris has allowed 14 pressures, 4 QB hits, and 3 sacks, while Taylor contributed to 3 sacks allowed and several penalties. And that is exactly where Humphries comes into play. 

Yes, Humphries may have had a premature ending to his last season, but his numbers were still commendable. To be precise, he allowed 28 pressures and 4 sacks over 568 pass-blocking snaps. And, attending several practice sessions with Chiefs could help him understand how the team works. So much so that fans may even see him play with the team in December. At least one can hope, right?

He may not be able to retain his jersey number with the Chiefs, but that’s not stopping him from making a stellar comeback!