Steve Spagnuolo Outlines Expectations for Felix Anudike-Uzomah

With pads coming on soon at camp, Spagnuolo has a few things he wants to see from KC's former first-round pick.

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

At the end of the week, things will get serious for the Kansas City Chiefs at training camp. Players have spent the past few days getting acclimated to life on the Missouri Western State University campus, but it's nothing compared to the practices that are on deck.

Following a mandatory off day on Thursday, pads are permitted to come on. That raises the stakes for everyone, making each rep carry more weight and making coaching observations have increased significance. Those who are fighting for depth chart or practice squad positioning have massive opportunities to boost their respective stocks in the process.

For second-year defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah, there's a lot on the line. The 2023 first-round pick didn't live up to the hype in year one, which was due to a combination of adversity and opportunity. The club still has very high hopes for him, though, making the trip to St. Joseph for this summer a critical one.

What's expected of the Kansas State man this time around? Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo outlined what he'd like to see.

"I think you're dead-on, Nate (Taylor), that we need him to show in pads," Spagnuolo said. "It's a different ballgame, especially for D-lineman, when you're in this kind of practice. We're going to be looking for some physicality, some growth in his pass rush ability. It's year two, right? He made a great play in the Super Bowl, which I think was great for his confidence. I think if he keeps making plays like that, he's going to get more and more confident and I think it'll be good for his game."

Anudike-Uzomah's first offseason was already off on the wrong footing when an injury limited his reps. Entering training camp, he was behind the proverbial eight-ball and also battling for playing time on a talented defensive line. Charles Omenihu's suspension allowed the then-rookie to play double-digit snaps in each of his first five NFL games, but that workload quickly dissipated upon his return.

From Weeks 6-17, Anudike-Uzomah logged 59 combined snaps. For context, he played 61 in the regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Chargers when many starters rested for the playoffs. The No. 31 overall pick in the draft finished his debut season with 14 tackles (two for loss), seven quarterback hits and a half-sack. He then didn't appear in any postseason games until Super Bowl LVIII, where he received seven reps and made the play Spagnuolo alluded to.

Advanced metrics didn't love Anudike-Uzomah's rookie year, either. Receiving a 53.4 overall grade for all games played, that ranked 14th among 17 first-year edge-rushers who logged 200-plus snaps. The Super Bowl did provide something to build on, however, as he recorded a 71.0 grade in that game – his best of the entire campaign.

With camp rolling on, Spagnuolo has made it perfectly clear that he wants to see progression from Anudike-Uzomah. Given that Omenihu is starting camp on the physically unable to perform list, reps are once again available. Can the local product make the most of that? The next few weeks will tell.

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