​Kansas City fans have reason to feel reassured about the interior of their offensive line, even as the Chiefs continue to navigate questions at tackle. In ESPN’s latest top-ten interior linemen list, two Chiefs are featured, led by center Creed Humphrey. Humphrey’s inclusion comes as no surprise to anyone who follows the league. He sits near the top of nearly every ranking of elite centers, and in this edition he landed third, with several voters placing him in first. Fowler also notes that Humphrey “slipped slightly in the overall rating,” but the praise for his consistency remains strong.
A personnel executive with an NFL team offered a glowing assessment of Humphrey, saying, “He has an unorthodox style of play, but once he locks onto you, it’s really hard to shed. He’s been incredibly consistent and arguably the best center in the league. He runs the show, and he’s ultra-physical and athletic.” Fowler highlighted Humphrey’s pass block win rate at an impressive 98.5 percent. On the other hand, the center did not rank among the top ten interior linemen in run block win rate. Still, Humphrey’s five NFL seasons have yielded four Pro Bowls and back-to-back first-team All-Pro honors, a testament to his impact and durability.
One particularly revealing comment came from a veteran defensive coach who spoke about how opposing teams approached the Chiefs. “We didn’t game-plan much for him, if at all. We were more concerned with Trey Smith.” That observation underscores the level of respect Humphrey commands, even as Smith’s presence creates another formidable interior threat for defenses to handle.
Trey Smith arrived in Kansas City as a sixth-round pick in 2021, and his ascent to a pair of Pro Bowls has reinforced the interior’s strength. A veteran NFC executive described him as “a really good foundational piece—raw power, a tone-setter. There aren’t many players like him.” Yet in Fowler’s ranking, Smith sits a bit farther down, at seventh, with some voters noting a down year in 2025. Still, the numbers tell a different story: Smith performed well in pass protection, allowing zero sacks in 389 pass-block attempts. The sentiment from the field held that Smith’s power and reliability anchor the line, even if the perception of last season’s performance varied among evaluators.
Critically, the Chiefs’ offensive line faces a season of transition. Both Humphrey and Smith are expected to shoulder expanded responsibilities to improve interior blocking for new running back Kenneth Walker III. How effectively they adapt in pass protection and run blocking will significantly influence Kansas City’s success. If the interior duo can fortify the line and create reliable space for Walker to operate, the Chiefs’ offense will have a strong foundation to build on this year. The performance of Humphrey and Smith in the upcoming season will help determine not only the effectiveness of the running game but also how well the team can balance protection and playmaking opportunities across the offense. This evolving dynamic at the interior positions is central to evaluating Kansas City’s prospects and shaping expectations for the year ahead.