The Kansas City Chiefs added depth to their defensive front by trading for a familiar face. Brett Veach isn't immune to mistakes, and while he left just this offseason, the Chiefs quickly course corrected the first chance they got. The New York Jets and Chiefs have agreed to a deal to send Derrick Nnadi back to Kansas City.
Chiefs trade for a familiar face
The Jets signed Nnadi to compete for their second starting defensive tackle spot next to Quinnen Williams. Nnadi was favored heading into training camp, but failed to make much of an impact. Nnadi took his training camp struggles on the chin, though, as he has been in this position before, especially in Kansas City. The peaks and valleys when playing for a contending team are exaggerated, which is where Nnadi's level-headed personality came in handy.
"Through the ups and through the downs, it's all about trusting the process," Nnadi said. "When you're losing, you've got to take it on the chin and learn from it. When you're winning, you've got to be respectful, like you've been there before, and be respectful to your opponent. So it's all about the respect factor as well as taking every single thing as it is that day."
Chiefs acquire Derrick Nnadi from the Jets
As Arrowhead Addict noted, Nnadi's game has declined quite a bit the past few years. The Chiefs understood that when they let him walk, and the Jets found out that lesson the hard way.
"Nnadi's decline was not very sudden, as Kansas City had seen his performance dip year after year. Even in a Jets defensive tackle room widely regarded as one of the worst in the league outside of Williams, Nnadi has been unable to cement his status as an immutable piece," Mike Luciano wrote.
For the Chiefs, Nnadi is little more than a depth piece they can trust. However, those players come in handy over the course of a long regular season.
Who won the Derrick Nnadi trade, the Chiefs or Jets?
Along with Nnadi, the Jets also brought in big bodies like Harrison Phillips and Jowon Briggs this offseason. New York didn't have a ton of confidence in Nnadi to begin with, which explains their willingness to search for replacements. Once they had a defensive tackle group they could trust, it make Nnadi expendable.
The pick swap may not seem like much, but moving up a round can be a difference-maker in a few years. In doing so, the Jets can select a young player with a higher grade, all in exchange for a veteran they didn't have much use for anyway.