That's just the thing - it's still broken.

Thuney at LT is better than it was but the guy is getting a lot of help and still giving up a good amount of pressures.

We need better than that in the playoffs or it's gonna be a long slog.
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And I would argue that Humphries is not a sure fix, so why would you force it?

Don't get me wrong. I thought it it was a great signing. I had extremely high hopes. I understand what he was asked to do was incredibly difficult for a player coming back from injury. And honestly, had he been able to come in start and finish that game with the Chargers, and hold down the job, I'd be his biggest advocate.

I'm rooting for the kid. I really am, but his opportunity to contribute in the playoffs was severely hampered by not holding up when he got his opportunity.
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I wouldn't force it. But if DJ plays well enough against the Broncos, they have to at least try it. I just don't think Thuney at LT is sustainable throughout the playoffs.
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You're not 'forcing' it.

You're sending him out there against Bonitto in a must-win game for Denver as a trial by fire.

If he performs, play him. If he doesn't, don't.

Nobody is saying keep him out with the rest of the starters this week and drop him into the divisional game.

We're saying that all Thuney has done is give us a workable floor - the ceiling still depends on Humphries being an effective LT as it will help us in both the pass game AND the run game.
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I'm all for playing him against the Broncos.

The problem is he's not going to be playing with Mahomes or next to Thuney at guard. Seeing him go out there and hold up well vs Bonitto is important, and so is his ability to play the entire game. I trust Reid and his coaches on this. Whatever they decide I'll be fine with.
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On Humphries the question is whether he is healthy. For much ofthe season our LT's have been beaten by speed. Thuney has handled the speed rush. He has been bull rushed into the QB some. Which if you had to choose the later is preferable becuase Pat still has time to throw. But Humphries probably the best bet to handle both. Question is what shape he is in and how he is moving he still is only 10 or so months from the ACL surgery. So I doubt you can expect him to be 100% this season.
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If they didnt think he could play this season, they wouldn't have signed him. His ACL checked out. It had to because they're not about to re-sign him at this point.
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You can develop some chemistry alongside Thuney and in front of Mahomes in practice if he acquits himself well enough Sunday.

I mean Reid ain't gonna have these guys sitting at home watching their stories and eating chocolate bon bons. They're gonna be working hard in practice BECAUSE they don't have a game. And they'll be able to get some of that ironed out pretty easily, IMO.

Again - not rookies. These are all experienced veteran players. And there truly is a 'right' way to play these positions. Thuney is a well-known technician; as set and forget as they come at OG. So playing alongside him isn't a matter of learning anything new - it's realizing that you just have to focus on YOUR portion and Thuney's got the rest on lock.

Asking Humphries to learn how to play with Thuney is a HELL of a lot easier than asking Thuney to learn to play alongside Caliendo because Thuney is the throughput at a position that he knows like the back of his hand. There's just nothing complicated about playing next to him.

If Humphries appears physically sound and has used the last few weeks to learn the offense, there's no reason at all to expect problems between the two. Again, Cam Robinson hit the ground at full speed in Minnesota. Humphries is a very similar caliber player with very similar experience. If he's healthy and ready for game speed, we'll know it Sunday. And if that's the case, he's going to be fine.
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Not a big surprise but Reid says DJ is starting this week.

“There’s a good chance” D.J. Humphries starts at left tackle on Sunday, per Coach Reid.

— Matt McMullen (@KCChiefs_Matt) January 3, 2025

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What’s the starting oline look like? DJ, Caliendo, creed, smith, morris? I’d like to see how Morris does at RT also.
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Since Taylor was dealing with an injury, you'll definitely see Morris at RT at some point I'm sure, even if he doesn't start.

The Chiefs have to be somewhat careful, they can't just throw Carson Wentz out there to be brutally murdered by a division rival who needs a win to clinch the playoffs. Going to have to leave a few decent guys in there.
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Taylor is listed as out for the game so somebody new will be playing RT.
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Wonder if they'll split reps between Morris and Suamataia. See what they've got there.
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Chris Oladoken is the guy they're gonna send out there if shit starts looking rough. Kids gonna be a meat shield on Sunday.
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Yup. They are gonna start Humphries and Wanya and this couldn’t be a better week to do it.

We are gonna get a lot of answers. Again, if Wanya continues to look good at RT like he did in the Texans game, you have to really consider him replacing Taylor in 2026.
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