The Kansas City Chiefs are 5-4 on the season and enter their bye week looking for some answers. They need to hit their stride in the second half of the season, but they will need better production from several players on the roster to do so.
One player who hasn't had the start to the season that the coaching staff was hoping for is rookie defensive end Ashton Gillotte. Through eight games, the 2025 third-round pick has been a rotational piece along the defensive line, yet he hasn't been able to make his impact felt regularly.
Ashton Gillotte Hasn’t Stood Out for Chiefs in 1st Half of Season
Gillotte has suited up in every game this season, logging 13 total tackles and a half of a sack. The rookie has three QB hits, 12 total pressures, nine hurries, and even a blocked field goal, but he isn't grading out well on Pro Football Focus. According to that website, Gillotte has an overall grade of 52.4 (100th among 114 graded edge defenders), a 49.2 pass-rush grade (110th among 114 graded edge defenders), and a 58.0 run-defense grade (69th among 114 graded edge defenders).
The Louisville Cardinals product is third on the team in total snaps (204) at defensive end, ranking only behind George Karlaftis and Charles Omenihu. Gillotte is someone who is receiving all the possible opportunities from the coaching staff but isn't taking advantage.
Becoming acclimated to the NFL is always tough. Learning a new defensive scheme, while also adjusting to the game's speed at this level, can certainly be a process that takes time for a rookie. That seems to be something that Gillotte hasn't overcome yet, but, fortunately, looks to be getting better at.
In two of the last three weeks, he has finished with at least a 70 or better overall grade on PFF, with a season-high 79.8 overall grade in the loss to Buffalo. He also posted a 68.8 run defense grade and a 76.2 pass-rush grade.
These are the kind of steps the coaching staff and fans want to see going forward. While this is nice momentum forward, he hasn't shown that at a consistent clip. The 23-year-old has seven games with a 57 overall grade or lower this season.
It's good to see Gillotte flash lately, but that hasn't been the norm over the first nine weeks of his professional career. The Chiefs are looking for him to continue taking steps in the second half. They used the 66th overall pick on him for a reason, and the more productive he can be, the better the defense will play.