🚨 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS FOCUS: What Should Ashton Gillotte’s Role Be Moving Forward After Solid Rookie Season? 👇

The Kansas City Chiefs made a move that could pay off for years to come when they selected Louisville defensive end Ashton Gillotte early in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The pick came as part of the trade deal for L’Jarius Sneed with the Tennessee Titans in 2024, and it’s already looking like a valuable addition to their defensive line.

Gillotte wasted no time making an impact, earning a spot in the defensive line rotation right out of training camp. He played in all 17 games in his rookie season and even earned the Mack Lee Hill Award for KC’s best rookie, voted on by his teammates. However, the big question on everyone’s mind now is: What does the future hold for Gillotte? Does he deserve to be a key part of the Chiefs’ defense moving forward?

Gillotte’s Rookie Year: A Solid Foundation

In his first year with the Chiefs, Gillotte was a consistent contributor. He played 485 defensive snaps, which accounted for 47% of KC’s total defensive snaps—ranking third among Chiefs defensive ends. He played more snaps than Mike Danna (42%), but fewer than George Karlaftis (78%) and Charles Omenihu (55%). Despite his limited playing time, Gillotte finished the season with 38 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, one interception, one pass defended, five run stuffs, and even a blocked kick.

Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranked him 87th among 119 qualifying edge defenders, with a 66.7 run defense grade and a 48.7 pass rush grade. While these numbers aren’t eye-popping, they highlight Gillotte’s strengths as a run defender rather than a pass rusher. His pass rush grade ranked 118th out of 119, signaling that this is an area that needs improvement for him to become a more well-rounded player.

Pass Rush: Gillotte’s Biggest Weakness

One area where Gillotte showed promise was in generating pressure. He logged 24 total pressures on 268 pass-rush snaps, which resulted in one pressure every 11.2 snaps. In comparison, Karlaftis generated 66 pressures on 463 pass-rush snaps (one every 7.0 snaps), while Danna only managed 9 pressures on 192 pass-rush snaps (one every 21.3 snaps). While his pressure numbers fall short compared to Karlaftis, they still represent an encouraging sign for a rookie defensive end.

What Role Should Gillotte Have Moving Forward?

Looking ahead, the Chiefs clearly need more from their defensive ends, especially in terms of pass rush. While Gillotte was solid as a role player, his biggest weakness aligns with KC’s biggest need—pass-rush pressure. With Charles Omenihu set to become a free agent and not performing well enough to warrant a re-signing, the Chiefs’ defensive end rotation for next season currently consists of Karlaftis, Gillotte, Danna, and Felix Anudike-Uzomah, who has been underwhelming and is recovering from an injury.

Based on this, Gillotte appears to be Kansas City’s second-best defensive end under contract, but the Chiefs cannot afford to enter the season with him as their No. 2 option. To take the next step, KC needs to find a pass-rushing upgrade to play opposite Karlaftis, particularly on passing downs.

The Chiefs’ Path to Improving the Defensive End Position

Gillotte seems better suited to replace Danna as an early-down run stopper and rotational player. His run defense was stronger than Danna’s in 2025, and he managed to generate more pressure despite fewer pass-rush snaps. With the Chiefs needing to bolster their pass rush, it would be wise to pursue a more capable edge rusher to take on the role of starting defensive end opposite Karlaftis.

The Chiefs could address this need in several ways. They could target a pass-rushing defensive end in free agency, where there are potential options available to provide an immediate upgrade. Alternatively, Kansas City could use their No. 9 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to select a top edge prospect. Players like Rueben Bain Jr. from Miami or David Bailey from Texas Tech could help provide the type of edge rush the Chiefs are missing.

What’s at Stake for the Chiefs’ Defensive Line

Gillotte deserves to remain a part of the Chiefs’ defensive rotation, but his role moving forward should be as a rotational piece and early-down run stopper. The Chiefs must bring in another pass rusher to take the pressure off Karlaftis and improve the pass-rush unit as a whole. If Gillotte can continue to develop as a pass rusher while maintaining his solid run defense, he could eventually become a more prominent player in Kansas City’s defensive plans.

As the Chiefs look to rebound from a down year in terms of pass-rush production, adding a true edge-rush threat will be key to returning to dominance. Gillotte has a promising future, but the Chiefs need to add more talent to their defensive line if they want to remain one of the top teams in the NFL.

Conclusion: Gillotte’s Potential in Kansas City

Ashton Gillotte proved he belongs in the Chiefs’ defensive rotation, but his role must evolve if Kansas City wants to build a more well-rounded defense. While his pass rush needs work, his run defense and pressure generation provide a solid foundation. For Gillotte to become a key player for the Chiefs, they must invest in a more consistent pass rusher, which would allow him to focus on being a reliable rotational piece. Moving forward, the Chiefs must make the right moves to bolster their defensive line, and Gillotte’s development as a player will be one of the factors that helps determine the success of Kansas City’s defensive unit in the seasons to come.