The Kansas City Chiefs have some major needs on defense. The pass-rushing unit left plenty to be desired last season, averaging just 2.1 sacks per game, which was tied for 22nd in the league. That's not what a championship-caliber defense does.
George Karlaftis didn't play up to his contract, Ashton Gillotte was also disappointing, and Felix Anudike-Uzomah wasn't a factor. Considering that, it's not much of a surprise to hear that general manager Brett Veach is hell-bent on strengthening the defensive line. According to Chiefs insider Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports, the Chiefs aren't done adding firepower there.
Felix Anudike-Uzomah Might be the Odd Man Out in Kansas City
"Chiefs GM Brett Veach says that even with Khyiris Tonga's addition, they're a few short on the D-Line and will look to add more in the 2026 NFL Draft," Goldman shared on X. He also added in a follow-up tweet that Veach said that "I feel like we brought in every defensive end that could be drafted this weekend."
Of course, that spells trouble for Anudike-Uzomah, who's been a rather disappointing player in his first two years in the league. He's just 23 and could still get a chance to prove his worth in his third season, but the Chiefs' interest in pass-rushers cannot go overlooked.
Notably, Mock Draft Database, a site that aggregates info from dozens of mock drafts from renowned sites, has the Chiefs taking Miami's Rueben Bain Jr. with the No. 9 pick. And while he may not be available at that point, when there's smoke, there's fire.
Anudike-Uzomah entered the league with a strong pedigree. He was a first-round pick coming off earning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors and two Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year awards. So far, that hard-hitting prowess has been nowhere to be found in the pros.
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has taken things slowly with him. While he played in all 34 regular-season games in his first two years, he's made just three starts. So far, he's registered a grand total of 3.0 sacks, 41 total tackles (24 solo), eight tackles for loss, 14 QB hits, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.
Unfortunately, a severe hamstring injury in the preseason forced him to miss the entire 2025 season, and that only cast more doubts about his future with the organization. His tape and production were underwhelming when he was healthy, so maybe the team is doing the right thing by potentially giving up on him.
According to Pro Football Focus, he's missed 15.2 percent of his tackles and has registered 26 total pressures in two years in the league. That's not going to cut it, and if Rueben Bain Jr. is available when they're on the clock, it'll be very difficult to look the other way.
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