No, Chiefs Star Creed Humphrey Hasn't Been Passed As the NFL's Best Center

The Kansas City Chiefs' offense as a whole took a step back a year ago, and its front line had a tumultuous year in its own right. The best player of the starting five, however, remained as steady as ever.

Center Creed Humphrey's fifth season saw him deliver more of the same regarding production, maintaining the standard he's set since he set foot on an NFL field. An offseason change in the center market raises an important question, though.

Is Humphrey still the best player at his position? Let's set out to find the answer. Chiefs On SI is ranking the top 25 Chiefs for the upcoming season, and Humphrey nearly completes the list as the No. 2 player for K.C.

Why Humphrey Is So Important

For years now, quarterback Patrick Mahomes has likely been the smartest player on the field in just about any situation. He's seen almost every coverage possible and has enough reps under his belt to teach the sport at the highest level for decades. With that said, Humphrey remains a critical piece to the pass game operation.

The former Oklahoma standout can set and adjust protections at the line of scrimmage, which alters plans for numerous other players. Not only that, but he's naturally in charge of even getting the play going to begin with. Those in Chiefs circles have witnessed firsthand what happens when errant snaps are made, as Humphrey dealt with a brief span of those in the past.

Given how much is asked of the offense and how detailed everything is, having a quick-thinking center is paramount. Head coach Andy Reid dials up a high percentage of shotgun-based calls, thus impacting run-blocking specifics and pocket depth on throws. That's just the tip of the iceberg.

The drop-off from Humphrey to a less experienced or less capable player would be severe. Skill position guys will always get the praise, but a reliable star center means a ton.

Humphrey's Strengths and Weaknesses

It's hard to find much not to love when it comes to Humphrey's game.

On film, he showcases impeccable timing paired with accurate hand placement and the ability to anchor down with efficiency against interior linemen or the occasional looper or blitzer. His processor is an added bonus, but it's also what sets the table for everything else.

In the run game, Humphrey is quick to his spots and has more than enough athleticism to climb as needed. Combo and reach blocks are no challenge for the former Sooner. He's an optimal fit for what the Chiefs need, regardless of pre-snap alignment or zone/gap distribution. He should become a favorite teammate of new running back Kenneth Walker III.

Advanced metrics back up Humphrey's top-flight play, too. Pro Football Focus, for instance, graded him as the top 2025-26 center across the board. That includes overall grade, run blocking and pass blocking. Since allowing 16 pressures in 2023, he's ceded 15 combined in the last two campaigns.

Add in that Humphrey has yet to miss a start for Kansas City, doesn't get penalized often and is stepping into a leadership role, and you get a near-perfect player profile. At draft slot No. 63 in 2021, that's surplus value to the max.

What Happens If Humphrey Gets Hurt?

A Humphrey void in the lineup would be uncharted territory for Kansas City. He's popped up on the injury report with ailments in the past, but nothing serious enough to hold him out of games. That's been a major blessing for both him and the team, although it'd make dealing with that eventual development (he'll get banged up at some point, right?) tougher.

As currently constructed, the Chiefs' offensive line may turn to 2024 fifth-round pick Hunter Nourzad for snaps. He has 123 regular-season blocking snaps to his name and looked better than NFL Draft classmate C.J. Hanson (32 reps). The other name to remember is veteran Mike Caliendo, who has the versatility to play center but has been a guard in Kansas City.

None of those players inspires confidence as a get-me-by option. If Humphrey isn't on the field, his absence will be felt significantly.

Why We Ranked Humphrey Here

The race to be regarded as the Chiefs' best player begins after Mahomes. That much has been true for a while and will continue to be the case if the two-time MVP keeps up his level of play. While defensive tackle Chris Jones is still great at age 32, it's Humphrey who's the team's No. 2 star.

During the offseason, former Baltimore Ravens star Tyler Linderbaum signed a three-year, $81 million contract with the Chiefs' division rivals, the Las Vegas Raiders. His $27M average annual value trumps Humphrey's $18M mark by quite a bit, making him easily the league's highest-paid center.

The $9M gap between Linderbaum and Humphrey is larger than the gap between Humphrey and ninth-place Tyler Biadasz of the Los Angeles Chargers ($10M AAV). Linderbaum is making $25M more in fully guaranteed money than Humphrey.

Last season didn't suddenly knock Humphrey off his pedestal. If anything, the past year has made him an even greater value for the Chiefs than he was before.

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