Tershawn Wharton remains injury concern for KC Chiefs

The defensive interior for the Kansas City Chiefs is looking like a greater problem than before—which is not a good thing given that it was already perhaps the greatest area of concern on the roster.

Coming into training camp, the Chiefs were already thin on paper at the defensive tackle position. Khalen Saunders left in free agency for a three-year deal with the New Orleans Saints. Tershawn Wharton was still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in Week 5 of the previous season. Chris Jones was expected to hold out, and beyond those two, the cupboards weren't exactly overflowing.

The Chiefs responded by drafting Keondre Coburn, but not until the sixth round of the draft. Derrick Nnadi returned again on a one-year deal, but he played fewer snaps last year than ever before. In short, even the reinforcements weren't all that exciting.

Turk Wharton returned from injury already once in training camp but he's been sitting again with further knee issues.

Now things seem even worse because Jones's holdout has carried him all the way through training camp, which means there are some real doubts about his readiness for the first game of the year. Not only that, but Wharton has started to sit out of practice for the Chiefs once again after returning from rehab a few weeks ago.

Wharton began Chiefs training camp in St. Joseph on the Physically Unable to Perform list (PUP) but he came off of it in early August which helped bolster the interior. But the last few days have featured knee problems that have forced him back on the sidelines and the shift casts doubt on how much the Chiefs can count on him in 2023.

Before last season, Wharton had played in every game in his first two years in the league and offered the Chiefs a rotational lineman who played about half of all defensive snaps. A former prospect out of Missouri S&T, it was exciting to see how high the ceiling might be for Wharton if only he'd stay healthy. Now the Chiefs have to wonder if the ACL is going to limit him going forward.