Similar to the Kansas City Chiefs' running back room, the team’s interior defensive line has lots of new faces heading into the 2026 season. It can hopefully produce more than in past years as a relative non-factor in most games, aside from, of course, the great Chris Jones.
One of Brett Veach’s earliest free-agent acquisitions was former New England Patriots nose tackle Khyiris Tonga. The 340-pound journeyman had played on four teams in the first five years of his career before being signed to a respectable three-year, $21 million contract.
Tonga, despite bouncing around the league, has always been an above-average run stuffer at the line of scrimmage and provides real value at a position of desperate need for the Chiefs.
Veach’s next move was to wait patiently in the first round and select Clemson’s Peter Woods with the 29th overall pick. Woods, before a down 2025 college season, was considered to be a top-five prospect in his class. The talent is evident, and he should only improve as a three-tech DT by learning from one of the best in Jones.
The Chiefs made sure that depth would not be a concern. Bryson Eason was signed as a waiver claim by the Chiefs after being cut by the 49ers. The 2026 UDFA from Tennessee certainly has lots of room to improve, but as the backup nose tackle to Tonga, he’s at least worth a look.
To round out the room, Omarr Norman-Lott, the Chiefs' second-round pick from a year ago, will not play until at least Week 6 after being placed on the PUP list as he continues to recover from a torn ACL suffered last year. But in the games he did play, Norman-Lott flashed at times, and now with all the talent around him, he won’t be asked to perform like a star right away.
Kansas City's interior d-line returns to having a positive impact on games with waves of talent
Chris Jones’ Projected 2026 Statline - 9.5 Sacks 34 Total Tackles 16 Solo Tackles 11 TFLs 22 QB Hits 3 Passes Defensed 1 Forced Fumble 0 INTs
I think there is a misconception among some Chiefs fans and certainly within the larger football media that Chris Jones has lost a step. And if you just look at his individual numbers and then pair that with the team’s poor 2025 record, then it’s easy to come to that conclusion. But according to the deeper numbers, Jones is as dominant as ever. He just needed some help.
DT pass rush win rate vs get-off over the last two seasons. Chris Jones has gotten home from multiple alignments pic.twitter.com/S7sMZGvjSi
— Football Insights 📊 (@fball_insights) April 1, 2026
And help he’s been given both from his own position and added talent on the edge. Which is why I think Jones could be in store for a near double-digit sack season and an impact that goes far beyond what the stat sheet suggests.
Khyiris Tonga’s Projected 2026 Statline - 1 Sack 23 Total Tackles 10 Solo Tackles 1 TFL 3 QB Hits 0 Passes Defensed 0 Forced Fumble 0 INTs
Tonga, while he does possess some pass-rush juice as a bigger fella, has never been one to rack up sacks. It’s not even what's expected from NT’s. His job, first and foremost, is to be a beast in run defense, taking up double teams and being the first point of contact for opposing offensive lines.
Tonga is taking the place of Derrick Nnadi, Jerry Tillery, and Mike Pennel. Not exactly high-end NFL players at this point in their careers, who seriously hindered the entire defense last year. Tonga needs to turn the nose tackle position into a positive once again for Kansas City, and I think he does just that.
Peter Woods’ Projected 2026 Statline - 3.5 Sacks 18 Total Tackles 8 Solo Tackles 4 TFLs 9 QB Hits 1 Passes Defensed 1 Forced Fumble 0 INTs
If you are expecting Peter Woods to come into his rookie year, dominate from the jump, and rack up 6-8 sacks, I’ve got millions of dollars in beachfront real estate to sell you. It takes time for defensive tackles to find their footing in the league. Even first-round picks.
Heck, Chris Jones had just two sacks in his rookie year. But he played well on the field and had an impact. And while Woods is not near the physical presence Jones was or is even today, I’d argue that Woods does the little things better than Jones as a rookie. Leverage, explosiveness, and a multitude of pass-rush moves. I would take this stat line from Woods ten times out of ten this season.
Bryson Eason’s Projected 2026 Statline - 0 Sacks 8 Total Tackles 3 Solo Tackles 0 TFL 0 QB Hits 0 Passes Defensed 0 Forced Fumble 0 INTs
It’s hard to know what to expect from Eason this year. The Chiefs acquired him after roster cutdowns, which was well after training camp. He hasn’t had a lot of time in the system, and I’m sure when Norman-Lott returns to the lineup, his snaps will be lessened. But I’ll throw in a few tackles for Eason, as I’m sure he’ll be on the field enough to make a play here or there.
Omarr Norman-Lott’s Projected 2026 Statline - 2 Sacks 13 Total Tackles 7 Solo Tackles 1 TFL 4 QB Hits 0 Passes Defensed 0 Forced Fumble 0 INTs
KC has taken their time with Norman-Lott’s return from injury. And for a big guy like him, that’s probably the right route to take. I have him playing in just 12 games this year, and to what level he plays at during the contests he is in, I’m not sure. I think he’s pretty firmly behind Jones, Tonga, and Woods in the packing order. But Steve Spagnuolo should try to keep everybody fresh, which is why I think a two-sack, double-digit tackle year from Norman-Lott is a fair take.
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