The Kansas CIty Chiefs have given Omarr Norman-Lott a little more time to heal before coming back from a torn ACL. The good news is that they're set up to handle such an absence along the defensive interior more than they would be at other positions.
Norman-Lott has been placed on the Chiefs' physically unable to perform list (PUP) to start the '26 season, per ESPN's Nate Taylor. The placement means that Norman-Lott will miss at least the first four games of the new season.
Because Norman-Lott began the preseason on the same list, NFL rules allow the Chiefs to transfer him to the regular PUP list for some increased flexibility in the coming year. Not only does Norman-Lott not count against the Chiefs' 53-man roster on the PUP list, but he's also eligible to return to practice after Week 2. The defensive tackle still has to sit out the first month of the Chiefs' schedule, but he can at least prepare to return as soon as possible by getting his reps in practice after the Chiefs play the Colts on September 20, assuming he's healthy.
Norman-Lott’s PUP placement preserves valuable roster flexibility
An added bonus of having Norman-Lott on the physically unable to perform list is that it conserves a spot on injured reserve. Every NFL team is given eight chances per season to bring back a player from injured reserve. If K.C. already had to use one on Norman-Lott before the year even began, that would have been an early setback. Now, however, the Chiefs can let Norman-Lott continue to recover and then bring him back without worrying about such limits.
The Chiefs added Norman-Lott as their second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft as arguably the best disruptive interior lineman in the class. Norman-Lott was a beast in the heart of Tennessee's defensive line, and the Chiefs hoped to give Chris Jones a running mate on passing downs. But his rookie season was ended after only five games, so it's hard to tell exactly what he'll bring to the table once he's back.
It is frustrating that Norman-Lott hasn't surfaced before now. Head coach Andy Reid stated at the start of training camp in St. Joseph in late July that Norman-Lott would be able to return at some point to practice. But the full preseason slate came and went, and the second-year lineman still hasn't taken a rep with his teammates.
Chiefs have the defensive line depth to withstand his absence
The good news is that the Chiefs are still loaded at defensive tackle even without Norman-Lott ready to start the year. Jones is back as one of the league's most feared interior defenders. Peter Woods was the team's first-round pick at No. 29 overall out of Clemson, and they also signed veteran run-stuffer Khyiris Tonga away from the New England Patriots in free agency. Together with newer faces along the edges, the Chiefs have a deeper defensive line than they've had in years.
Of course, the Chiefs are anxious to get Norman-Lott back. The second-round investment speaks to how highly they regard his potential, but at least there's some margin as the Chiefs figure out their roster construction to start a new year. The PUP list gives them a way forward toward an early-season return while not losing one of their IR-to-return designations.
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