Arrowhead Pride
On Sunday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Kansas City Chiefs are re-acquiring defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi through a minor trade with the New York Jets.
According to Fowler, the trade is centered around a conditional swap of 2027 sixth and seventh round selections. Should criteria of the trade be met, we presume the Chiefs will have acquired Nnadi and the Jets’ 2027 seventh- rounder in return for their 2027 sixth-round pick.
The Chiefs just made a similar deal with wide receiver Skyy Moore, sending him and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for their 2027 sixth-round pick.
Kansas City will assume Nnadi’s one-year contract with New York. According to Spotrac, it is a Veteran Salary Benefit deal that will pay Nnadi $1.3 million, but counts only $1 million against the salary cap. $250,000 of his 2025 salary is guaranteed. (Nnadi was guaranteed $417,500 at signing, but $167,500 of that was a signing bonus that is still charged to the Jets’ salary cap).
The Chiefs selected Nnadi in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He would go on to play 115 regular-season games in Kansas City, contributing to three Super Bowl-winning squads. After seven seasons in Kansas City — and three one-year deals following his rookie contract — Nnadi signed with the Jets in March as an unrestricted free agent.
Nnadi likely became expendable when the Jets traded for two defensive tackles. Meanwhile, the Chiefs’ rookie defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott was limited during the preseason with an ankle injury and did not play in Friday’s final exhibition matchup against the Chicago Bears. The Chiefs’ reserve defenders have also appeared particularly vulnerable in the running game this month — particularly with the Seattle Seahawks gaining 268 yards on the ground two weeks ago. ‘
What number Nnadi wears in Kansas City remains to be seen. His long time No. 91 jersey went to defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah this offseason.
Although the Chiefs will be trimming the roster to 53 players before Tuesday’s deadline, no immediate move will be needed to roster Nnadi. The Chiefs had an opening on their 90-man roster after Wednesday’s trade of wide receiver Skyy Moore to the San Francisco 49ers.
