KC Chiefs: Three positions to address in the 2023 NFL Draft
By Jacob Milham
Interior defensive line
Defensive tackle Chris Jones is without doubt one of the league’s best defensive players. This season, he surpassed Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald as the league’s best interior defender, with plenty of room to grow. However, the Chiefs’ depth behind him is shallower than a Kansas puddle.
If the 2023 season started tomorrow, the Chiefs would only have Jones and Daniel Wise under contract. To be fair, the Chiefs’ roster is thin right now at numerous positions, but Wise and Jones are hardly a solid foundation. Wise did not see any gameday action in 2023, and the former Kansas Jayhawk is not getting any better anytime soon. Jones is the clear DT1 in Kansas City, but reloading at DT2 and DT3 will support Jones better.
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Tershawn Wharton, who suffered a torn ACL in Week 5 this season, will be a restricted free agent. Wharton was a key rotational player at only 24 years old, so his return is likely barring any injury setbacks. The returns of unrestricted free agents Derrick Nnadi and Khalen Saunders are far from certain, though. Both have been vocal members of the defense, and Saunders is coming off a career year. However, neither is certain in 2023 and beyond.
The Chiefs lack young, controllable talent on the defensive line. That is just a fact right now. Chiefs general manager Brett Veach has stressed the importance of those qualities in roster building. Between adding more firepower each year and retaining franchise players, replenishing the roster through the draft is key. Veach did that and more during the 2022 NFL Draft, adding three quality rookies to the cornerback room. Expect him to put forth a similar effort when addressing the interior defensive line.