New Kansas City Chiefs addition Jerry Tillery was a surprise signing during the offseason, and the veteran defensive tackle could provide a significant impact on the team during the 2025 campaign. From guys like Tillery to signings such as Jaylon Moore and beyond, it's not unrealistic for stunning decisions to come.
While it was a surprise that Tillery became an addition, that was a more logical decision once the organization released fellow DT Mike Pennell, who is obviously unhappy about general manager Brett Veach's decision.
Pennell doesn't have to support the call, yet one new acquisition seems like a fairly obvious choice to let the franchise down in Week 1.
This is a great angle of Grey Zabel absolutely dominating 300-pound 8-year NFL veteran Jerry Tillery https://t.co/8R5WXcxJmf
— Seahawk Nerd (@SeahawkNerd) August 16, 2025
New Chiefs DT Jerry Tillery Set to Let KC Down in Week 1
Kansas City signed the former Los Angeles Chargers interior defense lineman in the offseason, and Tillery is expected to start in Week 1 alongside Chris Jones. He is a quality player whom Chiefs fans should be happy about, though it doesn't mean that he's an instant-impact-type of guy.
Unfortunately, Tillery is set up to let the organization down at the start of the season. He ranked just 139th out of 220 qualified offensive linemen at Pro Football Focus during 2024, suggesting he has untapped potential but still an on-field performance that implies he's slightly below average. That's why Kansas City was able to snag him, and no one should be overly upset with the results of the transaction for the 28-year-old lineman.
Tillery was an intriguing signing from the Chargers, and the organization decided that the Chiefs were a better fit. The way that he could let Kansas City down centers around his run defense, as he's a poor run defender, while Mike Pennell ranked 18th in the same metric.
If Pennell was better in a more aluabe spot, why keep Tillery? That's a question that Veach will have to answer. He's earned the benefit of the doubt, though it's still something that he should answer for.
Run defense was a major question, and Tillery struggled in that department while Pennell excelled, so fans rightfully are asking about the logic. It doesn't make sense, and it appears that Tillery will leave the team down early on in the campaign.