The Kansas City Chiefs’ search for talent at the defensive tackle position stretched far and wide last season, including signing Zacch Pickens to the practice squad. A failed third-round pick by the Chicago Bears, Kansas City stashed Pickens for most of the 2025 season before he played in the final three games, but it wasn’t enough to keep him on the roster, as he was released this week.
After falling out of favor with two different teams, Pickens is at a crossroads in his career. But he received an unexpected lifeline from the New York Giants after being claimed off waivers on Tuesday afternoon, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. While he’ll turn 26 this summer, the claim may be his final shot in the league, and he could now have an opportunity with a team that may be as desperate as the Chiefs were last season.
Giants Giving Zacch Pickens Another Chance After Chiefs Departure
In New York, Pickens will join a defensive line that is currently trying to replace Dexter Lawrence. The three-time Pro Bowler and two-time second-team All-Pro selection requested a trade after seven years with the Giants, and since then, New York has been scrambling to add depth following a trade with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Since Lawrence was traded, the Giants added three defensive tackles, including DJ Reader, who agreed to a two-year, $12.5 million contract on Tuesday. Shelby Harris (one year, $3 million) and Leki Fotu (one year, $1.29 million) were also added to the fray, and they may not be terribly difficult for Pickens to overcome if he can shed the bust label.
As Chiefs fans know, that has a slim chance of happening. Pickens has just 44 total tackles, two tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks in his first three seasons in the NFL, and had just five tackles with no sacks or tackles for loss in the three-game tryout last season. Even more concerning was his limited role over Kansas City’s final two games and a first-class ticket out of town as the interior of the defensive line was a priority this offseason.
Khyiris Tonga started the parade by signing with the Chiefs in free agency last spring, and the final nail in the coffin came when Peter Woods was selected with the 29th overall pick in this year’s draft. With Chris Jones remaining a cornerstone of the defense and Omarr Norman-Lott returning from a torn ACL, there wasn’t room for Pickens to stick around.
In the end, the Giants may be desperate enough to give him a shot. But it’s an uphill battle for a player who didn’t work out in Kansas City or Chicago since his arrival in the league.
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