Kansas City's offensive line, long a cornerstone, is seeing its star interior linemen slip in the latest ESPN survey by Jeremy Fowler, compiled from NFL executives, coaches, and scouts. Creed Humphrey, who was the top interior offensive lineman last year, now sits at third overall, a small regression for the 27-year-old center.
Creed Humphrey's Slide: Still Elite, But The Money Talked
Humphrey might have dropped from first to third in Fowler’s rankings, but don't get it twisted, he's still getting first-place votes! One personnel executive called his style "unorthodox" but "really hard to shake" once he locks in. The guy is consistently described as the best center in the league, "ultra physical and athletic," and he "runs the show well." His 98.5% pass block win rate was tops among centers, which is absolutely ridiculous. So why the slip? It turns out, that same exec thought he wasn't a huge game-planning focus. A veteran defensive coach even admitted, "We didn't game-plan much for him, if at all. We were more worried about Trey Smith." Ouch. And then there's the money. Humphrey entered this offseason as the top center with an average value of $18 million, but then the Raiders went out and blew that number away, giving veteran Tyler Linderbaum (who ranked 8th!) a monster $27 million annually. When that kind of cash gets thrown around, it resets expectations fast.Trey Smith: Raw Power With A "Down Year" Question Mark
Joining Humphrey in the top-10 is right guard Trey Smith, who landed at seventh overall. That's a modest decline from his fourth-place ranking a year ago, but Smith is known as a high-level, physical player. Despite some voters calling his 2025 campaign a "down year," the numbers say he held up in pass coverage, allowing zero sacks in 389 pass-block attempts. Zero! Yet, a veteran NFL defensive coach said, "You can knock him back in the pocket or beat him backward. That's how we felt last year." Talk about conflicting reports! Still, an NFC executive sees Smith as a "really good foundational piece" who brings "raw power" and "sets a tone." This 2021 sixth-round pick has made back-to-back Pro Bowls and provides long-term stability for the Chiefs. He's also the league’s second-highest-paid guard, pulling in a $23.5 million average annual value, with only Tyler Smith of the Cowboys earning more. That's serious coin. So, while the Chiefs' interior O-line might have seen a "regression" in these rankings, it’s clear they still boast two of the league’s premier talents. Humphrey and Smith are both young at 27 and loaded with accolades like Pro Bowls and All-Pros. The conversation around their slight drop is less about them falling off a cliff and more about the insane level of competition and the changing financial landscape for top-tier blockers. It's wild to think what these guys will be demanding in their next contracts, especially with the market resetting like this. What a time to be an offensive lineman, huh?This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.