Chiefs sign Carlos Dunlap, adding necessary depth to the defensive line

The Chiefs have signed veteran defensive end Carlos Dunlap; resolve pressing depth concerns among the defensive line in doing so.

The Kansas City Chiefs have finally brought in notable reinforcement for their defensive line. This morning, they agreed to terms on a one-year deal, worth up to $8 million, with veteran defensive end Carlos Dunlap.

Official details of the contract are yet to be released, but with all things considered, including the fact that Dunlap is entering his age-32 season, it is likely that the bulk of the deal will be greatly based in incentives. The Chiefs finished last year ranked 29th among all NFL defenses in total sacks, and their defensive line was a thorn in the side of an otherwise rather talented roster.

Prior to this year’s draft, in the midst of an offseason in which the rest of the AFC West bolstered their defenses with household names, the only addition the Chiefs made to the defensive line was Cortez Broughton, who was waived yesterday after a failed physical. In the draft, with the 30th overall selection, Kansas City picked defensive end George Karlaftis, but adding one rookie to a depth chart highlighted by Frank Clark and Mike Danna simply was never going to be enough.

Carlos Dunlap brings great experience to the Chiefs and fills the biggest hole on the roster for the upcoming season.

Now, in a dramatic turn of events, this Chiefs roster appears to be rather deep and rounded-off. Carlos Dunlap brings a wealth of pass rushing experience to Kansas City with his 96 career sacks (8.5 in 2021) and two Pro Bowl selections. Additionally, he has only missed three games in the past nine seasons, and has started 121 of 145 games over that stretch.

Adding Dunlap to the rotation offers a trusty and seasoned set of legs to keep the pass rush aggressive, and a veteran presence to help develop the youth that the team will be leaning on more heavily in the near future.