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There has been a vacancy in the Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive rotation for a few months. In May, we highlighted four free agents the Chiefs could sign to play defensive end on the site.
New Orleans Saints edge rusher Cameron Jordan has returned to his long-time team since that writing, but the three players remaining are still on the market with training camp nearing.
Jadeveon Clowney is always a name to consider, but there’s another candidate from the list who was also highlighted by friend of the site Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports this week.
4 veteran free agent defensive ends the Kansas City Chiefs could sign for competitive depth during training camp and the preseason | A to Z Sports
Derek Barnett
A first-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2017 NFL Draft, Barnett spent the last three years of his career in the AFC South. He appeared in all 17 games for the Houston Texans in 2025, but didn’t start a single one. He hasn’t started a game since the 2024 season. The 30-year-old still managed five sacks, 10 quarterback hits, and eight tackles for loss in 2025.
Kansas City Chiefs Crowned the Decade’s Most Successful Sporting Underdogs | Sports Illustrated
Kansas City Chiefs – NFL
Topping the charts as the most successful underdog is the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL. The Chiefs achieved an impressive win percentage of 66.67% after winning 20 of their 30 games as an underdog. As they’ve drawn once and only lost nine times, they’ve overperformed on numerous occasions, making them the most successful underdog in our rankings!
A Seven-Game Gauntlet Could Determine Whether the Chiefs Make the Playoffs | Yahoo! Sports
It would appear on paper Weeks 12-18 are going to be the hardest stretch of games the Chiefs will have, facing six possible playoff teams with only three home games. Weeks 12-14, a trio of away games, will most likely define the team’s season. Having their bye week early in the season in Week 5 also sets the Chiefs at a rest disadvantage.
With four games on the road, five against teams that made the playoffs last season and three prime-time games, Kansas City is looking at its hardest games in Weeks 12-18.
Ranking all eight NFL divisions entering 2026 season | NFL.com
If the Chiefs were the team we knew them to be from 2018 to 2024, this division would tie or rank ahead of the NFC West. But Kansas City proved last season that no team or sporting entity is immortal, failing to overcome its deficiencies before losing Patrick Mahomes to a season-ending knee injury in December. Entering 2026, the league no longer fears the Chiefs, a once-inevitable squad that appears human and arrives with plenty of questions that begin with (but are not limited to) Mahomes.
Chiefs TE Tre Watson praises the talent already in the tight end room | Chiefs Wire
During a recent appearance on the ‘Chief Concerns’ podcast, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Tre Watson discussed the quality of the current team tight end room heading into training camp.
“I think outside of Trav (Travis Kelce), I would say the rest of us are making a name for ourselves because we all feel like once you’re outside of Trav, everybody’s like we felt it this offseason. Don’t nobody believe it,” said Watson.
Pat McAfee drops Patrick Mahomes detail Chiefs fans will love | Arrowhead Addict
Pat McAfee couldn’t tell fans much about the event, nor can any of the guests in attendance, but one thing he dropped during his show on Monday will make Chiefs fans giddy with excitement. After McAfee showered Kelce and Swift with praise, he pivoted to talking about Mahomes.
“I saw the entire Kansas City Chiefs team,” McAfee said on Monday’s episode of The Pat McAfee Show. “I know [Mahomes] was injured last year, and I don’t wanna give wanna away too much stuff breaking from the wedding. Patrick Mahomes was in the middle of the dance floor.
Around the NFL
Texans co-founder and senior chair Janice McNair dies at 89 | ESPN
“Mom was exceptional. She exuded kindness, radiated joy, had an endless amount of hope and love, and lived an incredible life centered around faith, family, philanthropy and football,” Texans chair and CEO Cal McNair said. “It’s impossible to describe the profound gratitude that my sisters, Ruth and Melissa, and I feel for having her as our mom. Outside of our family, nothing mattered more to her than her beloved Texans.”
Geno Smith won’t be charged in Florida domestic incident | Pro Football Talk
Via Rich Cimini of ESPN, Davie, Florida, police have declared inactive the case arising from a June 21 dispute between Smith and a woman at his home.
The investigation has ended with no charges being brought.
That said, “additional information or evidence” could resurrect the case. For now, however, nothing more will be done.
“No further investigative steps can be reasonably taken with the information presently available,” the investigator’s report said, per Cimini.
Charles Snowden suspended by NFL for first 3 games of 2026 season | Dallas Cowboys
According to reports from NFL Media, Snowden’s suspension is part of a violation of the league’s personal conduct policy stemming from a DUI in 2024.
The league released the following on Snowden’s suspension:
“Dallas’ Charles Snowden, DE, Virginia, has been suspended by the Commissioner for the first three games of the 2026 season. He is eligible to participate in all preseason activities, including games; his suspension will take effect as of the roster reduction to 53 players.”
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
10 Biggest Chiefs Questions: Is the tight end group versatile enough?
This personnel trend was also apparent in the draft. A staggering nine tight ends went in the top-100 of the 2026 NFL Draft. Of those nine, six of them – Nate Boerkircher, Marlin Klein, Sam Roush, Oscar Delp, Will Kacmarek, and Eli Raridon – are projected to be blocking tight ends without high-end receiving upside.
The Kansas City Chiefs certainly didn’t get in on the tight end bandwagon.
The Chiefs are running back the same tight end room with Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, and Jared Wiley, with deep roster guys like Tre Watson or Jake Briningstool, and undrafted free agent John Michael Gyllenborg behind them.
