NFL power rankings: Which teams will have the best defense this season?

18. Kansas City Chiefs

• Notable additions: EDGE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DE Charles Omenihu, ILB Drue Tranquill
• Notable losses: S Juan Thornhill, DE Frank Clark
• 2022 scoring defense: 16th
• 2022 yards defense: 11th

It was a tale of two seasons for the Chiefs. Prior to their Week 8 bye, they were surrendering 24.57 points per game. After the bye, that dropped to 19.7 points per game.

For the season, their defensive numbers were mediocre. They allowed 4.4 yards per carry (15th in the NFL) and 3,756 total passing yards (18th in the NFL).

The offseason departures of Juan Thornhill and Frank Clark should impact the team in the short term. Thornhill was a solid starter last season, posting 71 combined tackles, four tackles for loss, and three interceptions. Clark has been an integral presence over the last four years. During that span, he has racked up 23.5 sacks, which is the second-most on the team behind only Chris Jones.

First-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah has a lot of potential, but the 21-year-old will need time to develop.

Charles Omenihu is an intriguing flier. Over the first three seasons of his career, he had 7.0 total sacks. In 2022, he emerged as an effective pass rusher for the 49ers with 4.5 sacks. His strong play continued during the postseason. In the Wild Card round, he had two sacks and a forced fumble against the Seattle Seahawks.

In a larger role, he took a massive step forward.

I expect the Chiefs’ defense to take a small step back this season, but their offseason acquisitions benefited their long-term outlook.