Getty The Kansas City Chiefs lost rookie Keondre Coburn to the Tennessee Titans in Week 15.
For the second time this season, the Kansas City Chiefs have seen rookie defensive tackle Keondre Coburn get poached by another NFL franchise.
First, the rival Denver Broncos took a chance on Coburn on waivers and now, the Tennessee Titans have signed the 2023 sixth-round selection after a brief return to Kansas City on a practice squad contract. His NFL player agent Murphy McGuire announced the news on X on December 13.
A-to-Z Sports’ Charles Goldman and KSHB41’s Nick Jacobs confirmed the report later on and just like that, Coburn was gone again.
Chiefs Failed to Fill Defensive Tackle Need This Spring
Six-round picks are no guarantee in the NFL. In fact, many are cut or poached before the end of their rookie contract.
Coburn’s failure as a prospect in KC isn’t necessarily disappointing because of the end result. It’s disappointing because the Chiefs needed a run-stuffing defensive tackle this offseason and the Texas product was the only real effort they made to find one.
And make no mistake, this is still a big need. Kansas City writers have been calling for Derrick Nnadi’s job in Week 15 and the early down run defense has been an issue for years.
In short, the Chiefs could use a new Dontari Poe and that’s what some fans believed Coburn could become. Unfortunately, it was not to be.
This is an area KC general manager Brett Veach could still address down the stretch — especially now that they have an open spot on the practice squad. Veteran Mike Pennel was signed in late October but has not played.
The Chiefs also brought in long-time NFL D-tackle Brandon Williams in 2022. As of now, Williams is still available in free agency along with veterans like Ndamukong Suh, Michael Brockers, Tyeler Davison and fellow ex-KC DT Taylor Stallworth.
Don’t be surprised if Veach adds another veteran at this position with Nnadi struggling and a lack of certainty in the depth behind him (Matt Dickerson and Neil Farrell).
Strange Journey of Texas DT Keondre Coburn With Chiefs
After being drafted, Coburn had strangely high expectations considering he was a sixth-round selection.
USA Today’s Doug Farrar called the nose tackle one of the “best draft steals” of 2023, and Bleacher Report analyst Jake Rill voiced that he expected Coburn to make an “instant impact” in Kansas City.
“Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo likes to have at least one massive earth-moving defensive tackle on his lines,” Farrar reasoned at the time. “Khalen Saunders and Derrick Nnadi have filled those roles of late — and Coburn should be a fascinating addition after Kansas City took him with the 194th overall pick in the sixth round.”
Similarly, Rill predicted a “smooth transition to the NFL” after five years of college experience. He also liked the youngster’s “athleticism” for his 6-foot-2, 332-pound frame.
Despite all these high hopes, Coburn was pretty much relegated to the bench after a quick look in Week 1. Later, the Chiefs released him to make room for veteran defensive lineman Charles Omenihu — hoping to sneak the rookie onto the practice squad after waivers.
That eventually happened after Coburn was cut by the Broncos, and now he’ll get his third 53-man roster opportunity with Tennessee. Needless to say, it’s been a very unique NFL journey for the former Longhorn so far.