With Changes Coming to Chiefs’ DL, Joshua Kaindoh Remains an Unknown

Kaindoh will be tasked with standing out from some potential new faces.

After finishing 31st in the NFL in sacks last season, the Kansas City Chiefs (still) have some work to do along their defensive line.

Thus far in the offseason, the only major moves the team has made have been re-signing nose tackle Derrick Nnadi and restructuring the contract of Frank Clark. Defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth was signed as a potential replacement for offseason departure Jarran Reed. The interior of the Chiefs' defensive line is sound but outside of that, the team has done very little to improve a defensive end group that was already lackluster in 2021.

Jan 23, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark (55) reacts after a play against the Buffalo Bills during the second half of the AFC Divisional playoff football game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Gone are Alex Okafor and Melvin Ingram. The loss of Okafor can be neutralized pretty easily, but Ingram was arguably Kansas City's best edge rusher a season ago. As a veteran who's done so as recently as a year ago, Ingram will presumably wait out the 2022 NFL Draft and the second wave of free agency before signing in conjunction with the start of training camp. He's earned the right to be patient and preserve his offseason.

With Ingram likely out of the picture for at least the next couple of months, the Chiefs are left with a few pass-rushing options in the cupboard. Can defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo make an industry-quality dish out of Mike Danna and Joshua Kaindoh? As far as Danna is concerned, that answer is almost surely no. 

In 868 regular-season snaps with the Chiefs, the 2020 fifth-round pick has notched five-and-a-half sacks. He's able to provide some juice as a pass-rusher, but on rare occasions. Danna possesses a high floor as a plus run defender with good functional strength and a motor that runs hot, but both his athletic and actual ceilings are limited. 

If Danna is a regular starter this season, the Chiefs are in trouble. While he's a good role player and depth piece to have, nothing more should be asked of him. Not only was that the general consensus when he got drafted, but there's enough of a sample size to conclude so after two years. With Kaindoh, there's a great deal of added intrigue. He's a relative unknown at this point. 

August 14, 2021; Santa Clara, California, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Joshua Kaindoh (59) after the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

In four years with the Florida State Seminoles, Kaindoh recorded eight sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss. He wasn't touted for his production, but rather his athletic profile. Those traits were put on full display leading up to last year's draft, and the Chiefs took a gamble on Kaindoh with the 144th overall pick (a fourth-round selection). During training camp and into the season, he was a raw player who likely wouldn't see the field much. In retrospect, that description rang true. 

Kaindoh appeared in just three regular-season games for the Chiefs last season, recording one pressure. He spent quite a bit of the year either buried on the depth chart or on injured reserve due to a high-ankle sprain. From a playing time standpoint, it was about the year that many expected. Kaindoh wasn't going to be a player who hit the ground running and emerged in year one. The injury slowed that process even more.

As Kaindoh is set to enter year two, though, the same pros and cons surrounding his game remain. On one hand, he's an athletic specimen who tested off the charts and possesses high-end bend, general flexibility and explosiveness. Those traits aren't commonly found in EDGE prospects outside the top 100 (or 50). He's an outlier who very well could be in line for a better professional career than college experience.

Date Unknown; Tallahassee, FL, USA; FSU defensive end Joshua Kaindoh closes in on NC State quarterback Ryan Finley during the Seminoles' home opener at Doak Campbell Stadium last year. Mandatory Credit: Joe Rondone-USA TODAY NETWORK

On the other hand, Kaindoh remains a giant ball of clay. From an in-game learning standpoint, that ball of clay is still in the same state it was a year ago. Kaindoh didn't end up breaking through despite a less-than-stellar group of players around him, and the injury rendered his debut campaign mostly incomplete. There are no new answers in regards to his short- or long-term role with the Chiefs.

It's extremely unclear what the Chiefs' plans are for Kaindoh. He could either be the team's best-kept secret ahead of a season that desperately needs an improved pass-rush, or he could be a fourth-round swing that results in the batter (Brett Veach) wishing he had another shot at getting things right. Kaindoh's blend of athleticism and upside makes now an intriguing time for Kansas City to unleash him and see what happens, but their desperation for top-shelf production eliminates that opportunity.

Change is undoubtedly coming to the Chiefs' defensive end group. Whether an Ingram reunion alters that plan remains to be seen but as of right now, an external free agent signing could be warranted. A high-end draft selection makes sense, too, especially considering Veach has six picks in the first three rounds to work with. The room is going to get crowded and once the music stops on Kansas City's game of pass-rush musical chairs, Kaindoh will have to fight hard to find a seat.