Felix Anudike-Uzomah Named 'Potential Breakout Player' — Can He Capitalize on Training Camp Opportunity?

Former Kansas State defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah has plenty to prove in his second NFL season.

Sep 17, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) runs with the ball chased by Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah (97) in the second quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

As the Kansas City Chiefs inch closer to the beginning of training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri, one young player has received a sliver of the spotlight. Could second-year defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah secure a larger role with a breakout showing in St. Joe?

In an exercise identifying one "potential breakout player to watch for all 32 NFL teams ahead of training camp," Tony Catalina of Pro Football Network chose Anudike-Uzomah for Kansas City.

"The Chiefs are hunting for their third championship in a row, and Anudike-Uzomah will play a big part in that, much like the entire defense did in 2023," Catalina wrote. "You can never have enough pass rushers, and with Anudike-Uzomah looking to get more chances to get after opposing quarterbacks in 2024, no one should be surprised to see a breakout this season."

Is Felix Anudike-Uzomah a breakout candidate in 2024?

The surface-level logic for Anudike-Uzomah is obvious. He was a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft (No. 31 overall) but played just 20% of KC's defensive regular-season snaps and just seven postseason snaps, with all seven of those coming in the Super Bowl after being inactive in the Chiefs' previous three playoff games. After what was almost a redshirt-rookie season for Anudike-Uzomah, there's a logical argument for a solid Year 2 with another offseason and a year of experience under his belt. However, there's no guarantee that a second-year jump is on the way, and his path to playing time will have very similar hurdles as his 2023 campaign.

The Chiefs retained all of their 2023 starters and backups for their 2024 defensive line, meaning that George Karlaftis, Charles Omenihu and Mike Danna remain KC's top-three rotation at defensive end. Anudike-Uzomah is still competing with Malik Herring (and perhaps BJ Thompson, though his playing future takes a backseat to his health after a scary scene at Chiefs facilities in early June) for playing time as the Chiefs' potential No. 4 EDGE.

It's also worth noting that the Chiefs re-signed Danna after letting him test free agency, a sign that they weren't completely comfortable with their defensive end group as it stood without him, which could be true for a variety of reasons.

Omenihu is recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in the Chiefs' AFC Championship Game win over the Baltimore Ravens, and even though he's tweeting like someone who intends to be back soon, his recovery timeline could give Anudike-Uzomah a chance to earn a longer look in training camp and into the regular season. If the second-year EDGE is going to make his push into the Chiefs' pass-rush rotation, he'll have to do it while the opportunity is available. Once defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo gets closer to playoff time, he'll likely shorten the rotation and keep his most trusted and highest-performing ends on the field.

While Anudike-Uzomah did find himself behind three starting-caliber defensive ends in 2023, it's fair to note that he also never forced his way onto the field. Still behind that same trio, Anudike-Uzomah's breakout campaign is no guarantee. He'll need to show some exceptional pass-rush traits and an improved get-off in St. Joseph to prove that he deserves playing time early in the year. With Spagnuolo often preferring to lean on veterans, the burden of proof will fall to Anudike-Uzomah in his second season.

Read More: Is Felix Anudike-Uzomah's Second-Year Jump Out of His Control?