The free agent market is silent for a reason at this time of year. Any player who is, at this point, unclaimed comes with one or more question marks, and teams are usually more interested in sifting through the young talent already on the roster in the spring. It's not until July, in the days before training camps ramp up, that teams turn to available veterans to bolster remaining roster concerns.
Now that minicamps have wrapped, however, it's still clear that the Kansas City Chiefs could use some help at a couple of positions. Defensive end might be the biggest need of all. The Chiefs flirted with Cam Jordan, but the storied pass rusher decided to return to the New Orleans Saints for a 16th season—the last decent, disruptive hope taken from the market.
In the wake of Jordan's re-signing with the Saints, it's not surprising that Kansas City has stayed silent. There's not an edge defender left who warrants any sort of frenzied pursuit. However, that doesn't mean general manager Brett Veach should stick with the depth chart he has in house. In fact, Dawuane Smoot is a name that makes sense to add to the mix.
All of this context is important because anyone who equates Jordan with Smoot is missing the point. Beyond drafting R Mason Thomas, the Chiefs did little to replenish a defensive end room that lost multiple veteran contributors. Thomas, who earned the nickname "The Closer" at Oklahoma, will definitely bring the juice, but the Chiefs needed more than one such import, which is why some fans are concerned.
The Chiefs still need more depth at defensive end
The rigors of a long season will take their toll on even the deepest units, but the Chiefs are playing with fire with their current setup at defensive end. George Karlaftis is an important cornerstone on one side. Thomas and Ashton Gillotte, who returns after a solid freshman season in '25, provide a promising young duo who will hopefully grow to carry more responsibility as the season progresses. But beyond those three, the depth chart is rather scary.
Felix Anudike-Uzomah hasn't played since 2024 and was already facing the "bust" label before a lost season. Tyreke Smith is a reclamation project who shouldn't be counted on for anything at all. Ethan Downs is a holdover developmental play. Speaking of those, Anthony Dunn and Vincent Anthony Jr. are undrafted free agents hoping to be noticed when all 90 players show up in St. Joseph.
Why Dawuane Smoot makes sense for Kansas City
Here's where Smoot raises the floor for a unit that lost Mike Danna, Charles Omenihu, and Malik Herring this offseason. A nine-year veteran who played last year with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Smoot brings reliability after appearing in all 17 games last season, along with the kind of experience this young room currently lacks. He's played between 41 and 44 percent of snaps in each of the last four seasons.
Smoot is not the disruptive counterweight to Karlaftis that Chiefs Kingdom was hoping for. However, he would be a seasoned vet that coaches could trust after losing comparable players this offseason. The questions around Anudike-Uzomah and the drop-off in proven talent after that are not tenable. A veteran is needed, even if it's only for training camp competition. Given the current state of the Chiefs' edge room, that's exactly the kind of move Brett Veach should be considering.
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