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KC Chiefs FA Profile: The important yet understated role of Derrick Nnadi

By Jacob Milham

Nov 8, 2020; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi (91) enters the field during warm ups before the game against the Carolina Panthers at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 8, 2020; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi (91) enters the field during warm ups before the game against the Carolina Panthers at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
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LANDOVER, MARYLAND – OCTOBER 17: Derrick Nnadi #91 of the Kansas City Chiefs warms up before the game against the Washington Football Team at FedExField on October 17, 2021 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MARYLAND – OCTOBER 17: Derrick Nnadi #91 of the Kansas City Chiefs warms up before the game against the Washington Football Team at FedExField on October 17, 2021 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /

The Kansas City Chiefs are facing a massive defensive overhaul entering the 2022 season. Key defensive players such as safety Tyrann Mathieu, linebacker Anthony Hitchens, and cornerback Charvarius Ward. Down the list of important personnel rests defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi.

The former Florida State Seminole was Kansas City’s third-round selection in the 2018 draft. It took very little time for a rookie Nnadi to find his way onto the field. He played 448 defensive snaps for the Chiefs and appeared in all 16 games. As a true nose tackle in then-defensive coordinator Bob Sutton’s 3-4 defense, Nnadi logged an unremarkable 35 combined tackles and no sacks. But, he did finish the year amongst the NFL’s best run defenders, earning an 81.7 run defense grade from PFF. It was a stellar start for Nnadi’s career, as he looked to be a force complimenting defensive tackle Chris Jones.

Defensive tackle Derrick Nnad is set for free agency for the first time in his career. Will the Kansas City Chiefs retain him?

If Nnadi was a baseball team, he would be the 2010-2013 San Francisco Giants. Nnadi is a player that performs great in even years but falls flat in odd years. Following up a promising 2018 season, 2019 fell flat. Nnadi joined an interior unit that was made of “useful role players”, according to PFF’s Sam Monson. That rollercoaster continued into 2020, where Nnadi was again a premier run defender but offered little in the pass-rushing game.

Nnadi showed growth from 2019 to 2020, culminating in his best statistical season in 2021. In only 10 games, Nnadi logged 38 combined tackles with three sacks and two tackles for loss. His five quarterback hits in 2021 dwarfed his previous career-high of one. 2021 was a real step forward, but advanced analytics said he was middling for the most part. It was an underwhelming performance in a contract year, for sure.

Nnadi is certainly a solid piece in Kansas City’s defense, appearing in 64 games during four seasons. His stat line is unspectacular, but will that prevent general manager Brett Veach from bringing him back?

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