The odd circumstances of Joshua Kaindoh's availability

The former Chiefs defensive end is still sitting there available for any team to sign him.

For some, the answer will seem obvious: Joshua Kaindoh is a free agent because Joshua Kaindoh has nothing to offer an NFL team. Over and done. Next subject, please?

While that's certainly true on the surface and an important point to make overall—that a player who has something to offer is likely to receive an offer—it's still odd that Kaindoh is sitting there in free agency waiting on someone to extend an opportunity given the parameters involved.

Look at it like this: Joshua Kaindoh is a 24-year-old pass rusher with the sort of length, burst, and strength that make most scouts salivate at his potential. And in a sport where the maxim says "a team can never have enough pass rushers," how in the world is Kaindoh not getting another shot?

It's understandable at this stage why the Chiefs moved on from the experiment. Brett Veach first drafted him back in 2021 in the fourth round as a flyer at the defensive end position. At Florida State, Kaindoh had looked the part as a pass rusher with pro potential early in his collegiate career, but injuries and coaching changes altered his trajectory. In the end, Kaindoh never exhibited the sort of growth scouts hoped to see. Veach took a chance anyway.

From there, Kaindoh was more of the same at the pro level as he was in Tallahassee. He only played in three total games–all during his rookie campaign—in his short tenure with the team and he was consistently passed over by competition on the depth chart. Even undrafted free agent Malik Herring was a greater part of the Chiefs' plans than Kaindoh at the position. Eventually, the Chiefs decided the experiment was over and drafted new projects to invest in.

But what about other teams? Kaindoh is 6'6 with a nearly 6'10 wingspan with plus burst and strength. Those sorts of traits are projectable, and it's even still possible that Kaindoh is just a very late bloomer. Remember he spent time on injured reserve for an ankle injury for much of his rookie year. You'd think that some general manager out there would be keen to take a chance on a still-young asset—even just on a practice squad somewhere.