The Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive line was a sore subject going into the offseason. Patrick Mahomes was sacked six times in a Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and the Chiefs made plenty of moves to overhaul the unit.
While Joe Thuney was traded to the Chicago Bears, the Chiefs kept Trey Smith on the franchise tag before signing Jaylon Moore in free agency and selecting Josh Simmons with the 31st overall pick in last month’s draft. But it could be another key piece that could be a shoo-in for the NFL’s latest award and help the Chiefs return to their dominant ways next season.
Creed Humphrey Should Be a Favorite For Inaugural Protector of the Year Award
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the NFL is implementing a new annual player award called the Protector of the Year. The award will be given to the league’s best offensive lineman in an effort to, as NFL vice president Troy Vincent put it, “Recognize the big fellas.”
Being an offensive lineman is a thankless job in the NFL. While fans often see the long bomb downfield, they don’t see the block that protected the quarterback long enough to make the pass happen. Running backs also get fame as key components of a fantasy football team. But it’s the offensive lineman that clears the path for the big play.
That has been corrected over the years as offensive linemen get big contracts but their recognition is reserved to a high Pro Football Focus grade until now.
Chiefs offensive lineman Creed Humphrey should be one of the favorites to win the inaugural award after ranking fourth among all qualifying offensive linemen with a 92.4 PFF grade last season. He also tied for the sixth-fewest quarterback pressures allowed (7) among qualifiers and didn’t allow a sack on 829 pass-blocking snaps.
The centerpiece of the Chiefs’ offense, Humphrey has made everyone better and could grab the attention of voters. While there are others that are deserving, the 25-year-old will have a sterling case as the Chiefs look to return to the Super Bowl and grab some more hardware next season.
