Al Woods release gives Chiefs another defensive tackle option

The Kansas City Chiefs could use a run-stuffer up front and it’s hard to find a stronger player than Al Woods.

The Seattle Seahawks continue to overhaul their entire defensive line this offseason as they prepare their roster for the 2023 season, and the latest transaction has set defensive tackle Al Woods free on the transaction wire. The addition of Woods to the list of available players is a good thing for a team like the Kansas City Chiefs, who are sorely lacking a big run-stuffer up front next to Chris Jones.

The Chiefs are in the midst of a rebuild of their own defensive line, at least in part, in 2023 as they released Frank Clark and watched Carlos Dunlap, Derrick Nandi, and Brandon Williams hit free agency. They brought back Turk Wharton for another season and signed Charles Omenihu as an edge rusher, but what is missing at this point the most is a big nose tackle for early downs.

Woods is one of the league’s stronger players and has been a force up front for Seattle well into his mid-thirties. While stout defensive tackles aren’t exactly impossible to find, Woods is an above average version and his veteran stats would fit in well with what will be a younger position group overall. He’s started 30 games for the Seahawks in the last two seasons and had 5 tackles for loss and 2 sacks a year ago at age 35.

There are other options for the Chiefs and it wouldn’t hurt to invest a draft pick along the interior as well, but the signing of Woods or someone like him would allow the Chiefs to avoid any draft panic to fill a certain role or else. It would also give Woods a solid shot at some real playoff magic after 12 seasons in the NFL with only a single playoff appearance to his name.