Who will be the Chiefs’ starting left tackle on Sunday? Andy Reid talked about the dilemma facing Kansas City as they try to keep Patrick Mahomes safe.
The Kansas City Chiefs’ left tackle dilemma has encountered another setback following weeks of retooling and reorganization.
Last week against the Los Angeles Chargers, veteran left lineman D.J. Humphries made his Chiefs debut; however, he was forced to leave the game early due to a hamstring injury sustained late in the game. Head coach Andy Reid would not rule out Humphries on Friday afternoon, despite the fact that he did not practice for the Chiefs this week.
“As far as guys that didn’t practice today, D.J. did not practice today,” stated Reid. “We’ll simply continue working on this and see where it takes us by Sunday. We’ll see where we wind up, though, since the other guys worked in and did a good job. There was a little rotation going on there.
Who will start at left tackle for the Chiefs against Myles Garrett and the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, as Humphries is unlikely to play after missing a week of practice? The Chiefs’ two most likely options if Humphries is unable to play are to start veteran left guard Joe Thuney, who would probably start backup lineman Mike Caliendo in Thuney’s left guard spot, or second-year tackle Wanya Morris, who was benched for Humphries to start last week. Regarding the expected starting for Kansas City’s game on Sunday, Reid remained evasive on Friday.
“Yeah, just kind of seeing where we’re at with it,” said Reid. “We rotated guys in there, so we’ll see what the end result is here.”
Chiefs offensive line coach Andy Heck spoke about KC’s left tackle problems on Thursday. He was asked how he thought Morris handled his benching, and then he was told that he needed to play again against LA.
“I thought he handled that whole situation like a pro,” Heck stated. “As a young player, he recognizes that he is still working to improve, just like the rest of us, and he tackled it appropriately once we discussed our aims and intentions with him. That’s what I believed he did. Things happen, so you have to be prepared, and he was when he was called upon. He filled in, and I felt he performed admirably.
Morris was benched for Thuney, who finished the game at left tackle, late in Kansas City’s close victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 13. Patrick Mahomes talked about his faith in whoever is guarding his blind side after the game.
“Whoever’s out there, I trust those guys to go out there and make it happen,” Mahomes stated. The coaches made a move, and I felt the guys went in there and performed well because I’ve watched those guys play and they’ve played at top levels. We won’t be in the same predicament at the conclusion of the game if I can trust it and perhaps make some of those throws, even if I believe there were moments during that final drive when I didn’t trust it.”
Latest on Hollywood Brown, Harrison Butker’s returns
Although Reid stated that Brown would not play against Cleveland, the Chiefs also formally opened the 21-day practice windows for kicker Harrison Butker and wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown on Friday.
Reid stated that he was “hesitant to say anything” about Butker’s chances of playing in Cleveland, but that “there’s a chance” he may make a comeback on Sunday.
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