With former first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah not living up to expectations, the Chiefs should consider bringing this recently cut free-agent defender.
Las Vegas Raiders v Kansas City Chiefs | Cooper Neill/GettyImages
The Kansas City Chiefs lost a couple of notable pieces from their defensive line as Tershawn Wharton and Derrick Nnadi signed with new teams in free agency. At the same time, Kansas City was able to retain two vets on the defensive line in Charles Omenihu and Mike Pennel.
The Chiefs hope Omenihu and Pennel can give them some production on one-year deals after falling short of completing the three-peat last season. However, those players won’t be under the microscope like former first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah will be this season.
The former first-round pick has struggled to live up to expectations, recording three sacks through his first two years in the league. Kansas City needs him to step up this, as they can’t solely depend on George Karlaftis and Mike Danna to bring pressure off the edge.
Now, the Chiefs did draft Ashton Gillotte in the third round in this year’s draft, which may or may not be good for the long-term future of Anudike-Uzomah. That said, if Kansas City wants to add more depth to the position without breaking the bank, this recently released defender could be worth kicking the tires on.
Chiefs Should Consider Signing Former Browns DE Ogbo Okoronkwo
On Thursday, the Cleveland Browns shockingly parted ways with veteran defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
#Browns have released edge rusher Ogbo Okoronkwo and signed kicker Andre Szmyt, the club announced.
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) June 26, 2025
The 30-year-old defensive lineman was scheduled to play his final year with the Browns after signing a three-year, $19 million contract in Mar. 2023. If you are a Chiefs fan, you might be asking yourself why KC would consider a 30-year-old pass rusher who was cut by one of the worst teams in the NFL last season.
It’s a good question to ask, especially when you look at Okoronkwo’s PFF grades from last year (55.4 – pass rush grade and 48.1 – run defense grade), which weren’t much to talk about.
However, PFF grades only tell one side of the story. Anudike-Uzomah had better grades (60.5 – pass rush and 56.3 – run defense) than the ex-Browns defense. But Okoronkwo was still more productive in a defense that isn’t better than KC.
Last year with the Browns, Okoronkwo had 23 combined tackles, nine quarterback pressures, six quarterback hits, five tackles for loss, three sacks, and a forced fumble across 16 games (five starts).
Okoronkwo’s 2024 season left a lot to be desired after seeing what he did during his first year in Cleveland. He had 31 combined tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 12 quarterback pressures, eight quarterback hits, and 4.5 sacks.
If you are the Chiefs, you are looking for another guy who can get to the quarterback, which he showed with the Browns despite a middling 2024 campaign. Given the other pass rushers left on the open market, Okoronkwo might get much interest, which could allow Kansas City to swoop in.
The Chiefs should be looking to evaluate all options to bolster the pass rush throughout the summer, as the former first-round pick has yet to blossom into an impact player.
