The Kansas City Chiefs face questions at edge rusher and it’s perhaps one of the biggest remaining roster concerns in the entire NFL.
If you speak to anyone in Chiefs Kingdom, the primary question for the upcoming ’22 season is going to focus on the situation at pass rusher. Do the Chiefs have enough? Will they make another move? If there are concerns, this is almost always the issue that’s brought up among fans and analysts alike.
But what about those outside of Chiefs Kingdom? Just how big of a concern is the Chiefs’ state of things at edge rusher. Judging by the fact that Kevin Patra called it one of the league’s 10 biggest remaining roster holes at NFL.com, it’s safe to assume that most people know it’s a major question.
The needs at edge rusher are significant for several teams, and Patra includes both the Los Angeles Rams and Baltimore Ravens in the same category—as teams with significant needs at defensive end with serious questions before the season. Fortunately, those teams are considered to be talented franchises and the Rams are fresh off of a Super Bowl win, so such questions don’t have to sideline a team.
That said, the Chiefs are crossing their fingers at an important position on defense. The hope is that George Karlaftis is ready to play from Week 1 and that Frank Clark is healthy and reliable after being brought back on a restructured deal. The Chiefs are also hoping that Joshua Kaindoh has something to offer after a redshirt season and that Mike Danna can continue to grow into a more valuable rotational player.
If the young players aren’t ready, things could fall apart quickly. If an injury happens to anyone at this point, the results could be painful. Then again, if some young players come through, the Chiefs could be saying “Melvin who?” by midseason. For now, however, the questions linger without obvious answers—and everyone seems to notice.