Chiefs' Defensive Line Ranked 14th in NFL on Recent List

The reigning champs' front is ranked right around the middle of the pack by PFF. Is that too high or too low?

Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) pursues San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, the Kansas City Chiefs' defense emerged as one of the very best units in all of football. In a slightly unexpected development, Steve Spagnuolo's group started the season hot and simply never looked back en route to a Super Bowl LVIII win over the San Francisco 49ers.

Elite secondary play from cornerbacks L'Jarius Sneed and Trent McDuffie helped pave the way, but that wasn't it. Kansas City's front seven, especially its pass rush and run-stuffers up front, were major contributors. With most of the gang back for the 2024 campaign, where does that defensive line rank in the NFL?

In an article for Pro Football Focus, Sam Monson puts Chris Jones and company 14th relative to their peers around the league.

"Chris Jones is arguably the best interior defender in football now that Aaron Donald has retired, and the Chiefs kept him in town this offseason," Monson wrote. "He leads all defensive tackles in total pressures over the past three years. George Karlaftis improved in Year 2 and was solid on the edge, while Charles Omenihu is something of a question mark, given his torn ACL in the AFC Championship game in January. If he can come back fully healthy, this is a group that could improve on this ranking."

A No. 14 ranking, for now, is mostly fair for the Chiefs' defensive line

Luckily for the Chiefs, there aren't many worlds where a slip-up is foreseeable. After all, Monson mentioned Omenihu's ACL injury making him somewhat of a question mark entering this season. On top of that, Jones figures to once again turn in a Pro Bowl-caliber effort and Karlaftis is coming off a 10.5-sack sophomore season. Mike Danna is a known commodity. The ranking accounts for 2023 first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah not flashing yet and there being an underwhelming nose tackle rotation.

Given the established floor, there's some ceiling that could see Kansas City justify an even higher ranking. If Omenihu returns and looks good or if Anudike-Uzomah contributes anything real in 2024, the defensive end room is suddenly a force to be reckoned with. On the interior, someone like Neil Farrell Jr. could turn into a trusted piece if Derrick Nnadi or Mike Pennel can't hold on to a starting job. Tershawn Wharton is now another year removed from his ACL tear. There's wiggle room here.

What do you get when you take an elite player and surround him with a couple of solid pieces but also some unknowns? Somewhere around the No. 14 slot. It's almost a guarantee that for better or worse, at least one player will be viewed differently by the end of the season. Thanks to the multitude of established veterans, it may be nowhere but upward from here. Monson's ranking seems fairly accurate for the time being.

Read More: Where Does the Chiefs' Starting Lineup Rank in the NFL? Identifying KC's X-Factors for 2024