Just three snaps into Sunday’s loss to the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs veteran defensive end Mike Danna left the game with what turned out to be a quadriceps injury. He missed Wednesday’s practice, and his status remains uncertain for the upcoming Week 3 road matchup against the also 0-2 New York Giants.
While losing a veteran player is never ideal, this situation might present an opportunity for a Kansas City defense that has been inconsistent through the first two games of the season. Although the defense played significantly better against the Eagles than it did against the Chargers, the common theme in both games was the defensive line’s inability to generate consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Despite the Chiefs ranking middle of the pack in sacks through two games with five total, the quality and consistency of their pressure have been concerning. Two of those five sacks came from Drue Tranquill blitzes in Week 1, another was credited as a team sack following a Jalen Hurts fumble, and the fourth occurred when Omarr Norman-Lott delivered a late hit on Hurts several seconds after the snap.
The underlying metrics paint an even bleaker picture for Kansas City. According to Pro Football Focus ($), the Chiefs have pressured Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts on approximately 36.8% of their dropbacks—a mediocre middle-of-the-pack figure. More concerning, Kansas City ranks a dismal 30th in PFF’s team pass-rush grade.
Adding insult to injury, the two highest-graded pass rushers on the team are safety Chamarri Conner and linebacker Drue Tranquill—neither of whom are defensive linemen. Although the limited sample size partially explains the high grades, it’s still particularly frustrating considering Chris Jones signed a massive contract extension less than 19 months ago and George Karlaftis inked a significant deal just two months ago. While Karlaftis does have one sack, he hasn’t generated consistent pressure, and Jones has managed just four pressures across 63 pass-rush snaps, per PFF ($).
If the Chiefs hope to recover from their 0-2 start, their defensive line must dramatically improve in the passing game.
Could Mike Danna's Injury Be a Blessing in Disguise?
Returning to Mike Danna’s situation: while losing a veteran player is typically a net negative, could this injury be a blessing in disguise? Danna has recorded zero pressures in 29 pass-rush snaps this season. The next man up will likely be fellow veteran Charles Omenihu, but the injury also opens the door for rookie edge rusher Ashton Gillotte to prove his worth.
Although Gillotte hasn’t been overwhelming in his first two games—managing just one pressure in 14 snaps—he was a very productive pass rusher for the Louisville Cardinals over the past two seasons while also being formidable against the run. Additional playing time could be exactly what the rookie needs to find his stride.
While Gillotte lacks Danna’s experience, he offers more upside and potentially more pass-rush explosiveness. If Danna misses multiple games, it will give Gillotte a genuine opportunity to develop and prove himself in games the Chiefs absolutely must win.
It must be said that expecting a rookie third-round pick to single-handedly rescue the pass rush is unrealistic—that responsibility falls squarely on Jones and Karlaftis. However, this situation does provide Gillotte with a chance to demonstrate why Brett Veach selected him 66th overall just five months ago. Even if it doesn’t translate to immediate success this season, this opportunity will likely be a good thing for his long-term development.
While fellow rookie defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott is expected to assume a larger role as he gets further removed from his ankle injury, Danna’s injury creates a more significant opportunity for Gillotte. The rookie defensive end is being thrust up the depth chart and will need to contribute meaningful snaps in must-win games for the Chiefs.
Whether this challenge becomes a breakthrough moment or a learning experience, Gillotte now has his chance to make an impact when his team needs it most.