Felix Anudike-Uzomah is a former first-round pick, so it comes with the territory, but the narratives have become quite familiar.
Either a first-round pick is a boom or a bust. There's little room for nuance in NFL circles when it comes to discussions of such great investments—and that's true of high-priced free agent acquisitions as well. Even if a first-rounder like Anudike-Uzomah settles into a comfortable contributing role, he's still frowned upon for not having altered the direction of his respective franchise.
That's not unfair, to be clear. A first-round pick is a first-round pick—a team's best stab at importing a prospect with game-changing potential. Each such selection is supposed to shore up a need, to provide impactful plays, to elevate a unit's overall performance.
The boom-or-bust conversation isn't all that helpful around Felix Anudike-Uzomah.
Within such a framework, then, Anudike-Uzomah hasn't worked out for the Chiefs, which has forced the bust conversation to the forefront as he begins the second half of his rookie contract.
Anudike-Uzomah's first season was considered a learning year. In his sophomore season, the former Kansas State pass rusher built upon what he learned, but he was still given somewhat of a long leash, knowing he was termed a developmental project coming into the NFL. That means this season is a put-up-or-shut-up sort of season. At least that's how the narratives play out.
But if we're allowing room for nuance, let's introduce another element into the mix: what if the Chiefs are crowding out Anudike-Uzomah at this pivotal juncture?
No one should be complaining, of course, since the maxim holds true that a team "can never have too many pass rushers." But in recent years, the trenches have been such a focus, especially in the draft, that it's not as if Anudike-Uzomah is being given a clear runway for year three.
The Chiefs already have George Karlaftis as the anchor on one side, and Mike Danna provides a reliable floor and strong run defense on the other. Charles Omenihu is an important pass rusher in the mix, and now Ashton Gillotte joins the ranks as an exciting athletic talent with a productive history off the edge.
Gillotte in particular is a real wild card here, a player who has made waves as a power rusher now learning to play a bit lighter and faster. The Chiefs loved him enough to grab him atop round three with the pick they earned in the L'Jarius Sneed deal with the Tennessee Titans, and it's possible he climbs the depth chart faster than anyone expects.
None of this even includes Chris Jones, who should be a significant part of any conversation about edge rushers knowing how often Steve Spagnuolo allows him to shift outside on preferred downs.
With all of the reps going to these players, it's not so far-fetched to wonder just how much impact Anudike-Uzomah can really make. That's not to villify the Chiefs for adding talent—that's a silly notion. Rather, any discussion of FAU's talent must, at least, keep things measured in proportion to how much playing time he can expect.
The heightened competition and crowded defensive end room might be exactly what cures this entire concern. It's possible that fighting for reps or even a job will ignite the consistency that the Chiefs have been hoping to see in Anudike-Uzomah instead of the flashes of brilliance in limited doses. But it's also possible that FAU remains a bit too buried to stand out.
A lot of attention will be on Anudike-Uzomah as he enters his third NFL season. First-round clouds always loom overhead, so FAU won't be feeling the ease in pressure anytime soon. But maybe there's room for some nuance in the conversation being had.