Should the Chiefs Sign Cam Jordan?

After a disappointing campaign last year, the Kansas City Chiefs were clearly poised for changes across the defensive line ahead of the 2026 season. With Chris Jones and George Karlaftis as the team's two foundational starters, the rest of the D-line was largely unknown entering the offseason.

Kansas City spent two premium picks on the defensive trenches in the NFL Draft, selecting Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods at No. 29 overall and Oklahoma defensive end R Mason Thomas at No. 40. The team also added defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga to a three-year, $21 million deal with $14 million guaranteed in free agency.

Tonga, Woods and Thomas represent three legitimate investments in KC's front four, but only Thomas lines up on the edge. Charles Omenihu (now a Washington Commander) and Mike Danna (still a free agent) struggled to make a consistent impact last season, but they accounted for a significant number of snaps for Steve Spagnuolo's defense in 2025. (Omenihu took the second-most snaps for any Chiefs defensive end with 568, while Danna took 389.) Even if Ashton Gillotte sees his workload increase in his second season (485 snaps in '25), the team still has snaps to spare in the rotation.

So, what are the Chiefs' options for help at defensive end with free agency and the draft in the books? One name remains.

Cam jordan…
— Chris Jones (@StoneColdJones) March 11, 2026

Should the Kansas City Chiefs sign Cam Jordan?

Longtime New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan is still a free agent ahead of his age-37 season, and the Chiefs should have a place for him.

Jordan recorded an impressive 10.5 sacks in 2025 while playing 54% of the defensive snaps (590 total) for the Saints. Karlaftis is Kansas City's obvious starter on one edge, but Gillotte currently stands as the other starter, nearly by default.

Thomas is a promising young pass rusher, but he doesn't have the requisite size or edge-setting experience that Spagnuolo covets in his early-down defensive ends. Behind Gillotte and Thomas, the Chiefs have former first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah, who will try to find his NFL footing in his fourth season after missing all of 2025 with a hamstring injury. There's nothing wrong with optimism for Anudike-Uzomah, but his ceiling also likely comes as a designated pass rusher, and there's no guarantee that his spot on the roster is safe.

Why signing Cam Jordan still makes sense for the Chiefs

Here's where I stand on the Chiefs' current group of defensive ends: I'm confident in Karlaftis; he's a proven NFL starter. I like Gillotte and think he can do a lot of the things Danna did for KC, but at his best, Danna played between 50-75% of the defensive snaps. I'm excited for Thomas, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see him used somewhat sparingly as a pass rusher as he builds up to a full-time NFL workload in his rookie season. I'd love to see flashes return from Anudike-Uzomah, but it's hard to see him as more than a rotational contributor until further notice.

With Gillotte as a starter, Thomas as a No. 3 and Anudike-Uzomah as the No. 4, the room still feels thin and heavily reliant on the youth progressing quickly and consistently. That could pay off swimmingly, but it's a dangerous bet.

By adding Jordan, the Chiefs would add another experienced professional who could take some of the burden off of Gillotte while also knocking Thomas and Anudike-Uzomah down a line as they attempt to prove themselves at the NFL level.

I don't expect Jordan to record double-digit sacks again in 2026, but I see his addition as more than a lottery ticket for KC. He would stabilize what is asked of the young edge defenders while adding much-needed depth to a room that would struggle to survive an injury to any of their contributors.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google