After a brief stint in Kansas City, D.J. Humphries will return to the NFC West. The longtime Cardinals left tackle is signing with the 49ers, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler reports.
Humphries upped his career start total to 100 through two Chiefs starts, but he ended up giving way to Joe Thuney. The Chiefs kicked their All-Pro left guard outside in an effort to stabilize the position. That plan largely worked out, only for it to be exposed in Super Bowl LIX. The Chiefs have since given ex-49ers swing tackle Jaylon Moore a two-year, $30MM deal; the 49ers will add Humphries from Kansas City as a possible swingman.
The 49ers will hope for a better version of Humphries, as he is now more than a year removed from the December 2023 ACL tear that ended his Cardinals stay. Humphries has battled a host of injuries during his career. In his first Chiefs start, the former first-rounder — given the starting job soon after signing — went down with a hamstring issue. He never reacquired the team’s LT job, only coming in for a Week 18 start that featured the AFC’s top seed resting most of its first-stringers.
Now 31, Humphries profiles as a swing tackle behind starters Trent Williams and Colton McKivitz. The 49ers needed Moore to close out last season, as Williams went down with an ankle injury. Considering Williams is heading into an age-37 season, acquiring a proven backup makes sense for San Francisco. Humphries has only played left tackle since 2017; he and then-Cardinals LT starter flipped sides after the 2016 season. The team had eyed converted guard Spencer Burford as a potential swing option; the fourth-year player will at least have competition for that role now.
The 49ers have not drafted a tackle since taking Moore in the 2021 fifth round. Moore moved up in the pecking order after Mike McGlinchey‘s 2023 Broncos commitment made McKivitz the new right tackle. With Moore now gone — at a price that surprised John Lynch — the 49ers needed a replacement. They have plenty of Humphries intel to go on, with the Lynch-Kyle Shanahan regime having seen the blocker in NFC West matchups from 2017-23.
Humphries’ stay as Arizona’s LT earned him two lucrative deals with the team — in 2020 and ’22. The team cut bait on the three-year, $51MM extension early in Monti Ossenfort‘s GM tenure, having designated him a post-June 1 cut last year. Pro Football Focus graded Humprhies 51st among 81 tackle regulars during a 15-start 2023. While Humphries has dealt with injuries in each of the past three seasons, he missed just one game from 2019-21. The 49ers will hope the 10-year veteran being another year removed from his most serious injury will help him back on track.
Hopefully Purdy gets an extension before he ultimately dies on the field this season.
Love this !! Accurate as hell !!
They better do something, since they neglected to address their biggest need in the Draft !!
This is what happens when you pick injury guys in round 3 and a RB in round 5 while ignoring other needs.
Absolutely could have an OL with either Nick Martin or Jordan James’ picks. Lynch is so predictable with his mid round picks in drafts that it’s hilarious.
I like Nick Martin. Chances are they could have got him a round later. Totally agree OL needs to stop being projects and hold overs. I want to win both sides of the trenches so Purdy stays worth his next pay raise.
Humphries is toast, he’ll be ineffective or hurt……at this point he’s just trying to prolong his career
Guess what a mid round Offensive tackle doesn’t do. He doesn’t start. Their D line was HORRIBLE last year. 5 D picks in first 5? Wtf did you people think they were going to do? You all wanted them to draft a backup tackle. Martin and James were rated as steals AROUND THE LEAGUE. 29th rated D and you all want to draft a backup tackle? Sure, all of you know more than Lynch. Raz, Lynch and his mid round picks? Predictable? Midround = 3 4 5 6. Did you think, just a little about your statement? Do me a favor and research how he’s done in rounds 4 5 6. Get a clue all of you. Sure, drafting a future starting OT would be great BUT the biggest needs, BY FAR, were on D. Number 29 defense and number 8 offense (3rd best running game). KHE, for the umpteenth time, OL is always needed BUT D line was horribly more in need.
Every day is not Christmas,management had a lot of lucky pics,they found god when they got Purdue throw the man a bone. Give him a new contract.GM is not brightest bulb on tree..3 number 1s for the qb bust. If wasn’t for Purdue am shoulda been fired and he been whistling dixie