Setting Expectations for the Chiefs’ Defensive End Group

The Chiefs have a young, exciting, and talented group when it comes to the edge position. What are realistic expectations for that unit in 2023?

For the first time under Steve Spagnuolo, the Kansas City Chiefs' defensive end group is not filled with recycled veterans. Whether it was Alex Okafor, Taco Charlton, or Melvin Ingram, it always felt like the Chiefs were getting by at the position from year to year. The emergence of Mike Danna as a key rotational piece set the train for a youth movement in motion. With the selection of George Karlaftis in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, the intended direction became clear. 

The final installment was made this offseason with the signing of Charles Omenihu and the drafting of Felix Anudike-Uzomah. Kansas City has yet to sign a veteran late in the process — even with some clamoring from the fan base — showing their belief in the guys they have in the room. So what are realistic expectations for this group?

Before getting into individual expectations, if this group can be regarded as a top 10 to top half defensive end group at the end of the season, that will be great for the Chiefs. That's especially true when considering being able to play off Chris Jones in the middle of the defensive front. It's a young group, with the oldest player being 26 when the season starts, so there may be growing pains as each takes on a different role. However, similar to the growth we witnessed with the secondary in last year's Super Bowl run, this unit has a chance to build something very strong in the latter half of the season.

Individually, pinning down Danna's expected production is the easiest. It's partially because he has the lowest ceiling of the core four in the defensive end room, but he probably also has the highest floor. He's an excellent run defender, putting him in line for about 50% of the snaps. He is also coming off his most productive season when it comes to getting to the quarterback. He expects to take another step forward in his development and could net somewhere between four to six sacks and around 40 quarterback pressures.

Karlaftis and Omenihu are interesting because there is a split about which player is better and will lead the defensive end unit. Ultimately, the answer will depend on the week's matchup. If the Chiefs play against tackles who struggle with power, it is more suited for Karlaftis. While if they play against tackles who struggle with length and twitch, Omenihu should shine. Both players are pretty equal regarding their ability level and still have room to grow. Unless one of them takes a huge step forward, which would be excellent for the Chiefs, the discussion of the top defensive end will only continue.

Omenihu's go-to/best rush move is his two-hand swipe. He times it well to clear an OTs hands and uses his long strides to pull past the hip of the blocker.

Utilizes various set-ups: raw speed, euro-step, scissor kick, etc pic.twitter.com/ps08dXOj6c

— Matt Lane (@Matty_KCSN) March 15, 2023

Comparing their two 2022 regular season campaigns, Karlaftis had more sacks (six to four-and-a-half) while Omenihu racked up more total pressures (54 to 48) with a better pressure rate. Expecting each to increase those numbers is plausible. For Karlaftis, it'll be his sophomore season, so he'll have a better level of comfort and can continue his play at the level he finished in 2022. It's a new system for Omenihu but working with Joe Cullen (who showed to have a significant impact on defensive linemen) as well as having Spagnuolo using him all across the line as a weapon should help take the newcomer's game to another level.

Anudike-Uzomah is the most challenging evaluation because you never know how the transition will be coming into the NFL, especially at the defensive end position. Chiefs fans saw last year how it took Karlaftis over half the season to get his first sack. However, the floodgates started to open once he got started. 

The former Purdue Boilermaker can be an example of what Anudike-Uzomah's rookie season looks like. While the former Wildcat has more in his pass-rush arsenal coming out, he can sometimes struggle to stay on his feet and get pushed around in the run game. This may limit his snap counts early in the season and reduce him to a specialist role. With that said, he has the talent to make the late-season push we saw with Karlaftis and become a real contributor after the bye week.

Dec 3, 2022; Arlington, TX, USA; Kansas State Wildcats defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah (91) sacks TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Max Duggan (15) during the second half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Karlaftis, Omenihu, Danna and Anudike-Uzomah make up the top of the defensive end group and will get most of the snaps throughout the season for the Chiefs. Though if guys like BJ Thompson, Joshua Kaindoh or Truman Jones can find their way onto the field, it'll only help the room and Kansas City's defense. Either way, the mix of styles and talent in the edge group should excite Chiefs fans, as it might be the best unit of defensive ends since Spagnuolo took over as defensive coordinator.

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