Danny Shelton signs with Kansas City Chiefs

Free agent defensive tackle Danny Shelton has reportedly signed a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, per Adam Schefter.

The Kansas City Chiefs have bolstered the defensive interior with the signing of free agent defensive tackle Danny Shelton to a one-year deal. NFL reporter Adam Schefter had the news on Tuesday.

Shelton had previously worked out for the Raiders earlier this week.

Shelton should be familiar to draftniks as a former first-round selection by the Cleveland Browns back in the 2015 NFL Draft. He lasted three seasons with the Browns before he was traded to the New England Patriots and played for two years with Bill Belichick. In 2020, he landed with the Detroit Lions on a two-year as an interior starter before signing with the New York Giants on a one-year deal a year ago.

The Chiefs have a potentially deep group of competitors along the defensive interior but there’s also room for a higher ceiling overall, especially after Chris Jones on the roster. Derrick Nnadi is the primary starter on early downs next to Jones with Turk Wharton able to rotate in. The Chiefs also signed former Indianapolis Colts lineman Taylor Stallworth this offseason, but it was a low-cost one-year deal and Stallworth has missed the last few practices due to injury. Former third-round pick Khalen Saunders is also waiting in the wings for an active roster spot as well.

The Chiefs have been adding new faces along the defensive front ever since training camp started, which shows that general manager Brett Veach was aware that things were lacking across the line. The Chiefs signed defensive ends Carlos Dunlap and Azur Kamara since late July and just added Matt Dickerson on Monday after releasing Shilique Calhoun.

Shelton, who will be 29 soon, played in only 29 percent of snaps last season in 13 games for the Giants and put up 31 total tackles in 2021.