Getty Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Mike Danna
Entering the 2022 NFL season, there was some concern as to how much talent the Kansas City Chiefs had in their defensive end room.
After ranking 29th in the league in sacks last season (29), per StatMuse, the defending AFC West champions drafted Purdue edge rusher George Karlaftis with their second of two first-round picks this year. Then when training camp started, they signed veteran Carlos Dunlap to a one-year deal.
After several weeks of training camp and one preseason game, Kansas City seems to be in good shape along the defensive line thanks to a revitalized Frank Clark and Karlaftis hitting the ground running to start his NFL career. That’s why one NFL analyst thinks the Chiefs should trade away one of their edge rushers before the regular season begins.
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Kay: Chiefs Should Trade Danna for Mid-Round Pick
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report named one player from each NFL team that should be put on the trade block during the preseason, and believe defensive end Mike Danna is that player in Kansas City.
Danna was a fifth-round draft pick of the Chiefs in 2020. During his first two seasons in the NFL, he has recorded 16 QB hits, 7 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks, per Pro Football Reference. Last season, Danna played on 48% of the team’s defensive snaps.
“The 24-year-old has intriguing upside and could potentially show out in a bigger role, one he likely won’t get an opportunity to take on with the talent ahead of him in Kansas City,” Kay wrote on August 15. “Danna has only seen 868 defensive snaps over his first two seasons and could see his playing time diminish with Karlaftis now in the fold.
“If the Chiefs get a strong offer for Danna—and there are plenty of teams desperate for pass-rushing help—they may benefit more from it than keeping a rotational edge-rusher on their roster.”
Could Chiefs Really Trade Away Danna?
With draft capital and positional value taken into consideration, trading away Danna doesn’t make much sense for the Chiefs.
Thanks in large part to the Tyreek Hill trade this offseason, Kansas City has a projected 12 draft picks in 2023. Along with that, there isn’t enough quality depth behind Clark and Karlaftis to merit shipping away one of their top rotational pass rushers for a mid-round draft pick. Danna could be on the verge of breaking out at 24 years of age with two years of NFL experience under his belt, which could make him worth much more than a Day 2-3 draft pick after the 2022 season.
Because of this, Kansas City should keep Danna, make defensive end one of their strongest positions, and pocket all of those 2023 draft picks.
Karlaftis Strong in NFL Debut
The Chiefs‘ preseason opener against the Chicago Bears was an opportunity for Chiefs Kingdom to evaluate Karlaftis in his first ever NFL game. And he didn’t disappoint.
In 24 total defensive snaps against Chicago, Karlaftis recorded 2 quarterback hurries, 1 quarterback hit, 1 sack, and 1 tackle for loss, per PFF. His first ever NFL sack came on a 3rd-and-11 play in which he hunted down veteran quarterback Trevor Siemian for a 10-yard loss.
Kansas City’s rookie defensive end reacted to his first ever NFL game.
“It was great to go up against someone else,” Karlaftis said during his postgame press conference on August 13. “New opponents and all that stuff. Kind of test where you’re at and see how things are going. It was a great first taste.”