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In the 2025 NFL offseason, the Kansas City Chiefs made a good move. They also took some rather large chances. And one of those gambles came in the form of the Chiefs’ risky plan to fix a sudden problem.
The Chiefs will go into the 2025 season counting on young players to solve the pass-rush dilemma, according to espn.com.
Kansas City grabbed defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott in the second round and end Ashton Gillotte in Round 3.
“If the Chiefs are again among the league leaders in sacks, as they were in 2022 and 2023, at least one of these rookies and perhaps both will need to make an impact,” Adam Teicher wrote.
Will DT Omarr Norman-Lott make big impact for Chiefs?
Chiefs' senior director of player personnel Mike Bradway said the Chiefs are always hoping to add players who can chase quarterbacks.
“You can never have enough of them,” Bradway said. “I think Omarr with his inside rush and Ashton just with his versatility, we thought those guys are just too hard to find.”
However, Norman-Lott said he brings a never-ending motor to the Chiefs’ roster.
“Relentless, unforgiving,” Norman-Lott said. “I believe I have a natural ability of getting off the ball.”
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Furthermore, the Chiefs lost defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton in free agency. That accentuated the need to get help in the draft. And that pointed the Chiefs’ front office to Norman-Lott.
“He's got some similarities to [Wharton],” Ryne Nutt, the Chiefs' director of player personnel, said. “(One is), he's bigger. (Also,) he's not as fast. But their play style is very similar. He was one of the top defensive tackles in winning one-on-one pass rush, and that's what we first off need, and that's where we saw he could add value. We feel like he can come in and help rush the passer. He was highly productive and highly disruptive, and those are the things we look for.”
Gillotte comes to the Chiefs billed as a potential complement to edge rusher George Karlaftis, according to espn.com.
“Kansas City ranked seventh in pressure percentage last season but also was fifth in blitz percentage and 26th in third-down defense,” Steve Muench wrote. “The Chiefs needed a complement to George Karlaftis so they don't have to blitz as much and to improve those third-down numbers. Gillotte should make an immediate impact as a pass rusher.”
Gillotte said he can learn from Karlaftis.
“I was doing film study with him [before the draft], watching plays,” Gillotte said. “He was watching practice and being like, ‘That's bad. You've got to fix that.' He was very critical, but in a lot of ways helped refine how I pass rush and get to this level to be considered.”
