No matter how you slice it, it’s clear that the Kansas City Chiefs‘ defense must improve. Sure, coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s group ranked 11th in points per drive and sixth in overall scoring, but that’s deceiving.
Kansas City ranked 26th during the regular season in turnovers on defense. They were also 21st in percentage of drives ending in a score. They sat 28th in time per possession. Every layer peeled back reveals a unit that, as a whole, needed to be better.
Fortunately, the offseason presents multiple avenues for that to take place. With the 2026 NFL Draft arriving in April, a top mind is offering his take.
Chiefs Mocked to Pick Miami DL Rueben Bain Jr. in 2026 NFL Draft
In his first 2026 NFL mock draft of the cycle, NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah projected picks for all each team. He bases his mocks on intel from around the league, not to be confused with his own evaluations for prospects.
With pick No. 9, Jeremiah has the Chiefs rolling with Miami EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. He believes Bain is an ideal candidate.
“Bain is my favorite fit for the Chiefs,” Jeremiah wrote. “Andy Reid has always had an appreciation for players with a junkyard-dog mentality like Bain possesses, having coached Trent Cole and Brandon Graham in Philadelphia.”
Bain, who just wrapped up his junior campaign, helped lead the Hurricanes to the College Football Playoff National Championship. Although Miami lost to joke-turned-powerhouse Indiana, Bain was a major reason why they got there to begin with. In 16 games, he set collegiate career-highs with 30 total tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks and an interception.
According to Pro Football Focus, Bain earned a 92.8 overall grade and a 92.4 pass rush grade. Among edge rushers with 100+ snaps played, the latter mark ranked ninth. Bain’s 83 pressures led the nation at his position, a reflection of his dominance.
There’s no questioning the juice Bain adds to a front as a pass rusher and willing run defender. It’s his size (reported sub-31″ arms) that could give NFL teams pause. Is he a sure-fire top-10 pick?
Only time will tell, but Jeremiah is in on Bain to the Chiefs.
Updated Look at Kansas City’s Defensive Line Picture for 2026-27
There’s no denying the need for investment along the defensive line. Per StatRankings, the Chiefs blitzed more often than all but the Minnesota Vikings during the regular season). Despite that, they ranked seventh in overall pressure rate. According to Pro Football Reference, their 7.1% hurry clip was ninth-lowest in the sport. Add in just 35 regular-season sacks (tied with four other teams for seventh-fewest), and a not-so-pretty picture is painted.
The personnel isn’t exactly glowing. Defensive tackle Chris Jones remains productive, albeit not at an All-Pro level anymore. He’ll also be 32 by the time next season starts. Defensive end George Karlaftis is a nice running mate who led the team with 66 pressures, but many of them were slow-burning efforts or came against far inferior players.
Next on the list for 2025-26 is Charles Omenihu, whose 34 pressures were sporadic. He’s also a free agent this spring. Other defensive end hybrids like Mike Danna were very underwhelming in years the Chiefs needed otherwise.
2023 first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah didn’t play a single snap all year following a hamstring injury. He remains a true unknown entering year four. Rookie Ashton Gillotte was decent in his snaps, but he isn’t a building block yet despite winning team Rookie of the Year.
On the interior, the free agent acquisition of Jerry Tillery didn’t make much of an impact. He surely didn’t replace the departure of Tershawn Wharton, who got paid big-time by the Carolina Panthers. Kansas City reunited with Derrick Nnadi after giving away Mike Pennel, only to bring back Pennel and render both players somewhat ineffective. Day 2 draft pick Omarr Norman-Lott tore his ACL early in his debut season.
With some of the aforementioned pieces either free agents or expected to soon become them, there’s work to do. Even if Bain isn’t a perfect prospect, there’s a case to be made that the Chiefs should consider him.
Chiefs Projected to Fix Pass Rush With ‘Junkyard-Dog’ Addition