The Kansas City Chiefs have pulled off a savvy move to address their defensive tackle concerns, bringing back familiar face Derrick Nnadi from the New York Jets in a late-summer trade that reunites the veteran with his former team.
What the Trade Brings to Both Sides
New York will pocket conditional 2027 sixth- and seventh-round picks for Nnadi, with ESPN breaking the story first. The deal brings the 29-year-old back home to Kansas City, where he cut his teeth during his first seven NFL seasons after the Chiefs picked him in the third round back in 2018.
Why Things Didn’t Work Out with the Jets
Nnadi’s stint in New York was short-lived and underwhelming. When he signed as a free agent this past March, the plan was for him to add veteran stability to their defensive tackle rotation behind Quinnen Williams. But things never clicked during training camp, and his sparse playing time in the final preseason matchup made it pretty clear he wasn’t going to make the cut before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline.
The writing was on the wall when the Jets went out and traded for defensive tackles Harrison Phillips and Jowon Briggs, essentially squeezing Nnadi out of any meaningful role on their depth chart.
Plugging a Real Hole for Kansas City
At 6-foot-1 and 317 pounds, Nnadi addresses a legitimate need for the Chiefs, who’ve been pretty thin behind their superstar Chris Jones. Mike Pennel has been their go-to veteran run-stuffer, but he’s 34 now and only saw action on about 30% of defensive snaps last season – numbers that tell the story of a rotation that could use some reinforcement.
Kansas City has younger guys like Marlon Tuipulotu and Fabien Lovett battling for spots, but neither has quite shown they’re ready for prime time on the 53-man roster. Both might be headed for practice squad duty instead.
Part of a Broader Pattern
This move fits right into Kansas City’s recent approach with late-round draft capital. Just last week, they shipped wide receiver Skyy Moore to the San Francisco 49ers, nabbing sixth- and seventh-round picks in the 2027 draft – the same rounds they’re now using to bring Nnadi back into the fold.
Photo Credit: Jay Biggerstaff / Imagn Images
