The Kansas City Chiefs are set to kick off training camp in just about a week, and with the annual trek to St. Joseph nearly here, we're going to spend the next several days examining every position group on the roster heading into camp.
We'll continue with the defensive line, where the Chiefs currently employ 15 players. Let's take a look at each, separated by defensive tackles and defensive ends. Many of these players possess the versatility to play both inside and outside, but for the sake of this breakdown, each player will be grouped by his primary role.
Defensive Tackles
Let's start with the Chiefs' two starters at defensive tackle last season in Chris Jones and Derrick Nnadi. The rest of the Chiefs' defensive tackles are then listed alphabetically.
Chris Jones
In one of the marquee moves of the offseason, the Chiefs re-signed Jones in early March following a season in which he recorded 75 pressures, 29 quarterback hits and 10.5 sacks in 16 games. He was the anchor of a defense that ranked second in the NFL in scoring during the regular season before holding opponents to an average of 15.8 points-per-game during the playoffs.
His 75 pressures last season trailed only the Los Angeles Rams' Aaron Donald among interior linemen, and his six pressures in Super Bowl LVIII matched defensive end George Karlaftis for the team lead.
Additionally, Jones – whose 67 sacks since 2018 rank fourth among all players – was ranked as the top defensive tackle in the NFL earlier this month by ESPN.
Jones has been an integral cornerstone of the Chiefs' run to three world championships in five seasons, and now with a new contract in-hand, he'll have an opportunity to build on his already immense legacy in Kansas City.
Derrick Nnadi
The Chiefs re-signed Nnadi in mid-March for his seventh season in Kansas City.
Nnadi has been a stalwart along the Chiefs' defensive line in each of the last six seasons, appearing in 98 games with 86 starts. He appeared in 17 regular-season games and one postseason contest last year – starting each of them – before suffering a triceps injury against Miami that ended his campaign.
Matt Dickerson
Dickerson, who re-joined with the Chiefs as a "Reserve/Future" signee in February, appeared in 13 games (including the playoffs) for Kansas City last season, recording 190 total defensive snaps in that time. He was almost exclusively an interior defensive lineman for the Chiefs, tallying snaps at left defensive tackle (95), right defensive tackle (71) and nose tackle (38 snaps).
The 28-year-old Dickerson originally joined the Chiefs last May before signing with the practice squad prior to the campaign.
Neil Farrell Jr.
Originally a fourth-round pick of the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022, the Chiefs acquired Farrell in a trade with Las Vegas just weeks prior to the 2023 season. He went on to appear in three games for Kansas City over the course of the year, logging 41 defensive snaps.
The 6-foot-4, 325-pound Farrell was the No. 8 overall defensive tackle prospect in the 2022 class according to The Athletic's Dane Brugler, who identified Farrell as a fourth-round pick. The draft ended up playing out exactly how Brugler predicted, too, as the Raiders made Farrell the eighth defensive tackle selected that year, doing so with the No. 126 overall pick.
Additionally, here's more from NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein, who compared Farrell to Detroit Lions defensive tackle D.J. Reader in his pre-draft writeup:
"Nose tackle prospect with a well-earned reputation for making it hard on blockers to do their job in the run game. Farrell has seen personal maturity and development in his play that allowed him to consistently bully opponents as a physical force in the middle in 2021…He will be somewhat tethered to home base but could help in upgrading a leaky run defense. Farrell is a two-gapping nose with Day 3 value."
Alex Gubner
An undrafted free agent signee, Gubner earned a roster spot following a successful tryout during Mandatory Minicamp in June. Gubner, who checks in at 6-foot-2 and 294 pounds, earned Big Sky "Defensive MVP" honors last season after logging 45 tackles, 9.5 tackles-for-loss and three sacks at the University of Montana.
Here's a quick note on Gubner from Montana's athletic department:
"Gubner was the straw that stirred Montana's defensive drink in 2023, helping UM to a historic defensive season. The Grizzly defense allowed just 108.5 yards per game rushing last season – the third fewest in the FCS and a Big Sky-low. UM also had the FCS's No. 3 third down defense in 2023, allowing teams to convert just 29 percent of the time."
Fabien Lovett
An undrafted free agent signee, the 6-foot-3, 316-pound Lovett appeared in 54 games (31 starts) over the last six seasons between Mississippi State (2018-19) and Florida State (2020-23). He was a team captain last season for the Seminoles, serving as "an important cog on the defensive line" according to The Athletic's Dane Brugler, who projected Lovett as a fifth or sixth-round pick in his pre-draft guide.
Here's more from Brugler:
"Lovett is stout at contact with the God-given length and power to continue getting better as a pass rusher. He has a scheme -versatile skill set and projects as a rotational interior lineman."
Mike Pennel
Pennel, who re-signed with the Chiefs in mid-March, originally joined Kansas City's practice squad in late October, logged three appearances during the regular season before playing in all four of Kansas City's playoff games. He recorded exactly 40 snaps in both the Divisional Round and Super Bowl LVIII, earning the second-best defensive Pro Football Focus grade of any player in the latter contest.
This marks the second stint with Kansas City for Pennel, who also played for the Chiefs between the 2019-20 campaigns.
Tershawn Wharton
Wharton, who re-signed with the Chiefs in March, returns for his fifth season in Kansas City after recording 17 pressures, five quarterback hits and two sacks in 17 games last year. He was also a significant contributor during the Chiefs' playoff run, logging at least 25 defensive snaps in each of Kansas City's four postseason games.
Additionally, it's worth noting that Wharton's 2023 campaign came on the heels of an injury-shortened season in 2022 due to a torn ACL. Now more than a year removed from that rehab process, Wharton could be in store for a larger role this upcoming season.
A great example of how an undrafted free agent can emerge from humble beginnings to carve out a career in the NFL, Wharton signed with the Chiefs as a rookie free agent from nearby Missouri S&T ahead of the 2020 season. He went on to make the team out of training camp, and in the time since, Wharton has logged 55 appearances as a professional.
Defensive Ends
Next, this breakdown of the Chiefs' defensive ends begins with last year's starters in George Karlaftis and Mike Danna before proceeding alphabetically.
George Karlaftis
A rising star on the Chiefs' defensive front, Karlaftis recorded 64 pressures, 17 quarterback hits, 10.5 sacks and three passes defensed while leading all Kansas City defensive linemen in snaps (755) last season. He then tallied 19 pressures during the Chiefs' postseason run, including a team-leading six pressures in Super Bowl LVIII.
Since Week 12 of the 2022 season, Karlaftis' 16 sacks rank 11th among all players. He has an opportunity to take another step forward and emerge as one of the league's premier pass-rushers with a strong campaign in 2024.
Mike Danna
Danna re-signed with the Chiefs in early April after recording the third-most pressures (41), the third-most quarterback hits (13) and the fourth-most sacks (6.5) of any member of the Chiefs last season, setting career-bests in all three categories. Additionally, Danna's two quarterback hits in Kansas City's victory over Baltimore in the AFC Championship Game led the team.
For the season, Danna's 745 defensive snaps ranked second behind only fellow defensive end George Karlaftis among Chiefs' defensive linemen. He was also a versatile member of a Kansas City defense that racked up the second-most sacks of any team in the NFL last year, logging significant snaps on both the edge and within the interior of the defensive front.
A former fifth-round pick back in 2020, Danna has increased his sack total in each of his four seasons with Kansas City, culminating in last year's 6.5-sack performance. He was undoubtedly one of the key members of a Chiefs' defense that yielded the second-fewest points of any team in the league last season, and now with a new contract in-hand, he'll have a chance to pick up where he left off in 2024.
Felix Anudike-Uzomah
The Chiefs' first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Anudike-Uzomah appeared in all 17 games for Kansas City last season, logging 218 snaps. He recorded double-digit defensive snaps in seven contests, with his highest snap total (61) occurring in the Chiefs' Week 18 victory over Los Angeles. He also added seven defensive snaps in Super Bowl LVIII, tallying a tackle-for-loss on one of them.
Prior to joining the Chiefs, Anudike-Uzomah was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 after recording 11 tackles-for-loss and 8.5 sacks for K-State. In fact, Anudike-Uzomah was immensely productive over his final two seasons for the Wildcats, racking up 25.5 tackles-for-loss, 19.5 sacks and eight forced fumbles in 27 games. He recorded at least eight sacks and 10 tackles-for-loss in each of those years while leading the FBS in forced fumbles in 2021.
As fellow defensive end Charles Omenihu works through his injury rehab from a torn ACL, Anudike-Uzomah could see an increase in snaps early in 2024.
Malik Herring
Another example of a former undrafted free agent earning himself a role on the squad, Herring – who tore his ACL at the Senior Bowl in 2021 – has appeared in 14 games for Kansas City over the last two seasons following his return to the field. He recorded double-digit snaps in each of the Chiefs' first six games last year in lieu of defensive end Charles Omenihu, who was in the midst of a league-mandated suspension. Herring was then back on the field for the Chiefs' Week 18 victory over Los Angeles, recording three pressures and a sack.
His impressive story of resilience is a testament to both his work ethic and the foresight of the Chiefs' front office, who saw Herring's talent despite his injury during the pre-draft process. Herring will have a chance to write another chapter in that story with a strong camp this summer.
Truman Jones
Jones is back with the Chiefs after spending the entirety of last season on the practice squad.
A Second-Team All-American at Harvard in 2022, Jones led the Ivy League with 13 tackles-for-loss to go along with six sacks. He was also a menace on special teams, blocking three kicks. Here's more on Jones from The Athletic's Dane Brugler, who wrote the following in his 2023 NFL Draft guide.
"Overall, Jones needs to expand his hand usage and learn how to string moves together for the next level, but his athletic tools and energy are a nice start for a developmental guy."
Jones wasn't selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, but his intriguing skillset led to a free agent contact with the Chiefs soon after the event concluded. He proceeded to spend the entire season on the Chiefs' practice squad, and now with a year in Kansas City's system under his belt, he'll have an opportunity to earn a spot on the active roster this summer.
Charles Omenihu
Omenihu, who signed with the Chiefs as a free agent last offseason, tallied 29 pressures, a career-most seven sacks, 11 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and two passes defensed in just 11 games last season after returning from a league-mandated suspension to begin the year. He was excellent during the playoffs, too, recording eight pressures – including a forced fumble in the AFC Championship Game – before tearing his ACL against Baltimore.
His rehab progress will be something to monitor over the next few months, and when he returns, Omenihu's presence will reenforce an already impressive defensive line with one of the better pass-rushers in the league.
BJ Thompson
Originally a fifth-round pick out of Stephen F. Austin in 2023, Thompson appeared in one game as a rookie last season, logging 28 snaps in the Chiefs' Week 18 victory over Los Angeles.
Thompson suffered a medical emergency that required hospitalization prior to an offseason practice in early June, but thanks to the quick actions of the Chiefs' medical and athletic training staff, Thompson was discharged from the hospital in time for the Chiefs' ring ceremony the following week.
It's unclear what Thompson's timetable looks like in terms of his return to the field, but as Chiefs' Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance Rick Burkholder stated on June 7, it appears that Thompson is headed in the right direction.
For more on Thompson, click here.
The Bottom Line
The Chiefs have historically kept either nine or 10 defensive linemen on their Week 1 roster in recent years, opting to initially keep 10 following training camp last year before waiving Matt Dickerson prior to Week 1.
Remarkably, every defensive lineman who logged double-digit defensive snaps for Kansas City last season is back for the 2024 campaign, constituting a group of 12 players: George Karlaftis (755 snaps), Mike Danna (745 snaps), Chris Jones (741 snaps), Derrick Nnadi (498 snaps), Charles Omenihu (404 snaps), Tershawn Wharton (399 snaps), Felix Anudike-Uzomah (218 snaps), Matt Dickerson (190 snaps), Malik Herring (163 snaps), Mike Pennel (45 snaps), Neil Farrell Jr. (41 snaps) and BJ Thompson (28 snaps).
In terms of how many (and which) players will make the squad out of camp, one decision the Chiefs' front office and coaching staff will need to make is how they want this group to be subdivided. Kansas City went with an even five defensive ends and five defensive tackles following camp last year, although Dickerson (a defensive tackle) was waived soon after. In 2022, the Chiefs kept six defensive ends and just four defensive tackles.
Karlaftis, Danna, Omenihu (pending his injury status) and Anudike-Uzomah are all expected to be significant contributors in 2024 at defensive end, leaving one to possibly three spots (if Omenihu misses time early in the year) between Malik Herring, Truman Jones and BJ Thompson.
At defensive tackle, meanwhile, it's realistic that Farrell, Pennel, Dickerson, Lovett and Gubner will be competing for only one to two roster spots behind last year's primary contributors in Jones, Nnadi and Wharton.
There's an exciting blend of talent at both positions within this group, and following a year in which the Chiefs' defense put together a historic performance, the competition along this year's defensive front will be interesting to follow.
