Maintaining a competitive defensive front is vital in the NFL. If you can change momentum with that group, you are going to garner more wins and possibly championships. We saw that exactly at the end of the season with Super Bowl LIX.
The Kansas City Chiefs are going to have many holes to fill this offseason. The defensive line, particularly at defensive tackle, is an area worth addressing for K.C. The Chiefs have a stud in Chris Jones, arguably their best defender. Yet, there are not many defensive tackles from 2024 set to return for the Chiefs. All of Tershawn Wharton, Mike Pennel, Derrick Nnadi, and Marlon Tuipulotu are set for free agency.
Kansas City may also be losing a linebacker and a safety to the open market. If that does occur, sustaining any strength in the spine of the defense is crucial. With that in mind, here are four defensive tackles that the Chiefs could add to bolster their defensive front.
Four free agent defensive tackles for the Chiefs to consider
1. Levi Onwuzurike
Levi Onwuzurike has missed parts of his first four seasons due to injury. But out of all the defensive tackles available, he has some of the highest potential to break out moving forward. Onwuzurike is a physical, lengthy defender on the interior. He is efficient when penetrating through gaps. Out of his entire 2024 campaign, Onwuzurike was most noticeable as a pass rusher.
Pro Football Focus credited him with 45 pressures last season. That ranked 15th out of 219 total defensive interior players. Interestingly, PFF gave him a similar grade in run defense and the pass rush in 2024. With more consistent playing time and hopefully remaining healthy, Onwuzurike has a great opportunity to reach the ceiling Detroit envisioned when they made him a second-round pick.
2. D.J. Jones
D.J. Jones is known more as a run stuffer. He could be a perfect replacement on the Chiefs’ roster for someone like Derrick Nnadi. Jones shoots gaps as smoothly as any veteran defensive tackle. For instance, Pro Football Focus credited him with an 11.3 percent run-stop rate in 2024, ranking 3rd among defensive interior players. Jones may not necessarily jump off the screen with continuously flashy plays. Yet, when he wins, Jones utilizes a balanced technique and carries out his job well as a veteran.
3. Poona Ford
Poona Ford has bounced around as a player who was formally undrafted. While his size has created questions, Ford has been a rotational piece that provides reliability. He has been primarily a sturdy run defender in the defensive front. Though, Pro Football Focus gave him his best run-defense grade in 2024 since his rookie season in 2018. He truly had a nice bounce-back season with the Chargers last year. Similar to Jones, Ford is a player who could elevate the Kansas City run defense. However, Ford offers a bit more juice as a pass rusher than Jones does.
4. Roy Lopez
Roy Lopez has been more of a rotational piece at the NFL level. He may not have the experience as other defensive tackles available. Yet, there are still some positives to his game that could make a difference with increased snaps. Lopez’s strength and hand counters stand out when watching him. He is also fairly effective at gaining leverage and getting underneath an opposing blocker’s pads. Lopez has been a depth piece in Houston and Arizona. If he joins a championship-winning organization like Kansas City, Lopez could perhaps reach another level in a fresh opportunity.
