The Kansas City Chiefs' training camp is off to a hot start. Throughout the first two days of practice, there has been a lot of coverage on the wide receiver and cornerback rooms, which is understandable, given each unit's struggles in 2024.
That said, defensively, there are question marks along the defensive line, especially at defensive tackle. This offseason, Kansas City lost Tershawn Wharton to the Carolina Panthers and looks to replace his production with a host of different players.
One of these players is second-round pick Omar Norman-Lott. There are high expectations for the University of Tennessee product, but many are unsure how long it will take him to reach them. During Thursday's practice, Pete Sweeney of Arrowhead Pride shared an encouraging update on Norman-Lott.
Omar Norman-Lott is Being Heavily Relied Upon Early in Chiefs Training Camp
Sweeney shared that Norman-Lott was again getting a lot of work with the first team. He also added that defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is "leaning into the rookie early," which is unusual since the Chiefs' DC tends to trust more experienced players with big roles.
Omarr Norman-Lott again getting a lot of work with the first team. Steve Spagnuolo leaning into rookie early which is rare.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 24, 2025
Sweeney's comments should come as no surprise to Chiefs Kingdom, though. During organized team activities (OTAs) and mandatory minicamp, the coaching staff was working hard on Norman-Lott's endurance after he logged 225 snaps as a rotational pass rusher with the Volunteers.
That is significantly less than the 667 snaps Wharton logged last season with Kansas City. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo likely understands this, which is why Norman-Lott is being leaned upon early on, often in training camp.
Beyond Norman-Lott, the Chiefs don't have many great options to pair with Chris Jones at defensive tackle. Their best choice would be veteran Jerry Tillery, who has struggled to consistently be a difference-maker throughout his career. After Tillery, Kansas City's defensive tackle room is thin with Mike Pennel, Fabien Lovett, and Marlon Tuipulotu.
If Spagnuolo can get Norman-Lott up to speed for a large snap share in the regular season, that would be ideal. In 2024, with the Voulenteers, he recorded five sacks, nine quarterback hits, 13 QB hurries, and 27 QB pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
Achieving that level of success on the inside won't be easy in the NFL, especially as a rookie, but being next to Jones, who is one of the best in the game, will definitely help.
Norman-Lott will just need to keep working on his endurance throughout camp, and then when pads come on, he will have to show he can be the most dominant defensive tackle the Chiefs have besides Jones.