Kansas City Chiefs 2023 Roster Preview: Defensive Tackles Entering Training Camp

Could a late-round 2023 draft pick cause a shakeup along the interior of Steve Spagnuolo's defensive line?

Feb 9, 2023; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Derrick Nnadi of the Kansas City Chiefs speaks to media during a Super Bowl LVII press conference at Hyatt Regency at Gainey Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs' defensive line was lackluster in 2021, but the addition of coach Joe Cullen helped lift the group to recovery and new heights in the 2022-23 campaign. The all-world performance of Chris Jones on the inside also factored into his unit's output in a major way.

Kansas City ran things back with their one-two punch on the inside last year, as Jones and Derrick Nnadi led the way. The emergence of Khalen Saunders in a contract year was big as well but, as expected, Saunders priced himself out of the Chiefs' range and departed via free agency. A 2023 NFL Draft selection injects new talent into the interior of Steve Spagnuolo's defensive line, and the franchise will hope for sustained success up front. 

As 2023 Chiefs training camp comes into focus, Arrowhead Report will be previewing each of the team's position groups. This precedes a roster projection once training camp is in full swing, allowing for in-depth analysis and observations of the roster general manager Brett Veach has put together. The series continues with the defensive tackle group, a collective of talented players with one clear top performer leading the way.

The starters: Chris Jones and Derrick Nnadi

Coming off a season that saw him be named an All-Pro and finish third in Defensive Player of the Year voting, Jones should once again be a top performer at his position this coming season. In 2022, he matched a career-best with 15.5 sacks and also had more tackles than he logged in any other year of his career. Nnadi, on the other hand, had arguably his worst campaign as a professional but was re-signed as cheap depth. He may need to look over his shoulder during training camp and early in the regular season, because the next player could push him out of his spot. 

The backups: Keondre Coburn and Tershawn Wharton

Coburn, a sixth-round pick in April, is a draft pick that not many have been talking about. His ability to thrive in run defense, similar to Nnadi at his peak, could be what allows him to latch onto the roster and garner significant snaps as a rookie. Despite Spagnuolo's insistence on playing veterans over inexperienced players when possible, a scenario in which Nnadi struggles could give Coburn even greater playing time. Wharton is still working his way back from a torn ACL, although the worst-case scenario for him appears to be merely beginning the year on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. 

The intriguing pieces: Danny Shelton, Matt Dickerson, Phil Hoskins, Chris Williams and Daniel Wise

Shelton was signed last summer and initially vaunted as the run-stuffing depth the Chiefs needed, then he proceeded to spend the season effectively on the practice squad. He could push for a roster spot if Wharton doesn't start the year on the active roster, but that remains to be seen. 

Dickerson played in six games with the Atlanta Falcons last year and recorded a career-high 12 tackles; Hoskins had two tackles in five games with the Carolina Panthers; Williams logged two in five games with the Indianapolis Colts and Wise had one tackle in 11 contests with the Washington Commanders. All four players are solid depth pieces for the organization to have, and they all will be competing hard in training camp for good favor in the eyes of the coaching staff.

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