Brett Veach Drops Update on Omarr Norman-Lott’s ACL Recovery

The Chiefs' general manager had a noteworthy progress report on his 2025 second-round pick as he works his way back from injury.

Jul 22, 2025; St. Joseph, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott (55) walks down the hill to the practice fields during training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft is in the books, and the Kansas City Chiefs opted to go all-in on the defensive side of the ball. Originally possessing pick Nos. 9 and 29, general manager Brett Veach moved up from the former selection for LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane.

Kansas City then stuck at its 29th overall spot and landed a high-upside interior defensive lineman in Clemson's Peter Woods. In the aftermath of the first round, however, focus temporarily shifted to someone who was drafted a year ago.

Speaking to the media on Thursday night, Veach was asked about the status of 2025 second-round pick Omarr Norman-Lott. The sophomore defensive tackle sustained a torn ACL early in his debut campaign.

Veach deferred a bit to Rick Burkholder, vice president of sports medicine and performance, but still managed to deliver a positive update with Organized Team Activities (OTAs) on the horizon.

“You guys know how I roll,” Veach began. “I don’t want to speak for Rick, but I totally expect him (to be) ready to go for training camp. I think you’ll see him out there at OTAs — exactly at what point he’ll be full-go at those OTAs, we’ll see.

"I certainly think that he’ll be ready to rock and roll for St. Joe, and I think he’ll do a lot at the OTAs. I don’t know (if) we’ll take the red jersey off him. We’ll probably let that slowly happen and let him kind of acclimate and ease his way into this, but we certainly expect to have him for the start of training camp.”

Norman-Lott, the 63rd overall pick last April, played just 73 defensive snaps before going on the shelf for the year. He suffered the severe knee injury in Week 7's 31-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, logging seven reps and failing to record a box score statistic.

The selection of Woods could make this offseason that much more important for someone like Norman-Lott. There's a clear hierarchy in Kansas City, as All-Pro Chris Jones and offseason signing Khyiris Tonga could make up the starting duo on the inside. Norman-Lott and Woods project as intriguing depth pieces.

Coming off an abbreviated rookie season that saw him notch all of five hurries (via Pro Football Focus), the pressure is on for Norman-Lott. Retaining the athleticism that helped land him in the second round would be huge. Per MockDraftable, his broad jump and vertical jump ranked in the 84th and 75th percentiles, respectively, last spring.

That red jersey Veach alluded to is a non-contact signal for teammates. With OTA sessions kicking off on May 26, it won't take long to find out just how involved Norman-Lott will be and how on track he truly is in his ongoing recovery.