The Kansas City Chiefs losing Jalen Royals to injury could have far-reaching implications in Week 1, but he's not the only rookie who is now in danger of missing out on the first game of the season.
After trading away Mike Pennel, the Chiefs have a need at defensive tackle. Trading for Derrick Nnadi helps, but second-round pick Omarr Norman-Lott was expected to be a major part of the rotation alongside Chris Jones.
Unfortunately, it now appears possible that Norman-Lott could miss the regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers.
🚨 INJURY REPORT 🚨
— Chiefs Blitz (@ChiefsBlitz) September 2, 2025
DT Omarr Norman-Lott was limited in practice today.
WR Jalen Royals did not practice.
Everybody else was a full participant.
Per, @Chiefs.
Chiefs DT Omarr Norman-Lott Could Miss Week 1 Like Jalen Royals
Kansas City revealed on its official injury report on Tuesday that Norman-Lott was limited in practice. He's still making the trip to Brazil, unlike Royals, which gives him a chance to play. That said, it's far from certain that he suits up.
Norman-Lott is a strong run defender with 13.5 career sacks during college, so he's a dependable player that can make a true impact on the team. By moving on from Pennel, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo told you that he trusts the Tennessee standout to make an immediate impact.
That said, this could create some issues for the team as a whole early on. Unless Nnadi is ready to handle a majority of the snaps, Spagnuolo will have to move Jones around and leverage the defensive ends in order to create pressure on Justin Herbert, who has performed well against the Chiefs in the past.
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh is focused on attacking up the middle with the run game, which is exactly where Norman-Lott provides a lot of value. If the Chiefs lose, it'll be because they let Los Angeles control the ball and gash them up the middle. That's what makes this potential injury all the more concerning.
Norman-Lott figures to play the most snaps of any Kansas City rookie aside from left tackle Josh Simmons, and it's important that he's 100%. Even if he plays, it's obvious that Norman-Lott won't handle the amount of snaps that he will later in the season, which creates questions about the Chargers' ability to run up the middle.
Harbaugh is known to prioritize an interior running game dating back to his days at Stanford and Michigan. Stout run defenders are invaluable, particularly for a defense with a secondary that features an All-Pro corner like Trent McDuffie. Hopefully, he'll suit up. If he doesn't, the Chiefs will be in a rough spot trying to ensure the middle of the defense is in good shape.
We saw an example of how leaky interior defensive alignment can derail a gameplan in the Super Bowl, and there is a risk of the same happening here. Regardless, it appears that Norman-Lott is expected to play at least a minimal amount of snaps.
How many snaps he plays could determine the result of Friday's contest. It's worth noting that Norman-Lott is expected to play, though it sounds like he'll be limited. If he is, it makes the Pennel release all the more worrisome and could lead to an upset.