KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Center Creed Humphrey secured his financial future Thursday evening, and the Chiefs locked up a key member of their 2021 draft class and the anchor of their offensive line with a record-breaking contract extension.
The deal cements Humphrey as the highest-paid center in the NFL, a league source confirmed. The $72 million, $50 million of which is guaranteed, surpasses the five-year, $60 million deal signed by Erik McCoy in 2022 with New Orleans. The average annual value of $18 million per year exceeds the $13.5 million average value of Detroit’s Frank Ragnow and also tops the $42 million guaranteed to Ragnow.
The new deal adds four years to Humphrey’s rookie contract and will keep the 25-year-old committed to the Chiefs through the 2028 season.
Humphrey was believed to be seeking a deal to reset the market for NFL centers, and this contract does that. A source confirmed to Chiefs Digest earlier during training camp that Humphrey sought a contract more similar to that of the NFL guard market, and that’s exactly what the Chiefs have given to Humphrey.
The key elements of Humphrey’s new contract rank among the top six for guards. The total and average annual value of Humphrey’s extension equals the $72 million over four years for Denver’s Quinn Meinerz, which ranks No. 6 in the NFL. The guaranteed money ranks tied for third with Philadelphia’s Landon Dickerson.
