The Chiefs’ Next Big Fix Might Come From the Past — and Fans Can’t Decide If That’s Genius or Desperation.QQ
The Chiefs were already in need of help at defensive tackle before Omarr Norman-Lott was lost for the year with a torn ACL.
On Monday, results from an MRI confirmed the Kansas City Chiefs’ biggest fears concerning Omarr Norman-Lott: that the rookie defensive lineman had torn his ACL.
Norman-Lott suffered a knee injury midway through the team’s lopsided 31-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 7. After being helped off the field, Norman-Lott was declared out for the rest of the game, and head coach Andy Reid referred to the tackle as the notable injury suffered during the game.
While Reid didn’t have any news by the time he answered reporters’ questions on Monday morning, word came through later on Monday that Norman-Lott will indeed be out for the rest of the season as he recovers from such a devastating injury.
The Chiefs were already in need of help at defensive tackle before Omarr Norman-Lott was lost for the year with a torn ACL.
The Chiefs selected Norman-Lott in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and he’d eased into the rotation up front for the Chiefs through his first six games. That mirrored his usage at the University of Tennessee, where his very impressive pass-rushing metrics were tempered by a limited role—making it hard to figure out exactly what his ceiling at the next level might be.
While the Chiefs always knew Norman-Lott’s greatest value was found in his long-term upside, the dearth of impact at the position behind Chris Jones suddenly looms larger as a roster concern. The Chiefs have already been connected to trade rumors to bolster defensive tackle, even before Norman-Lott’s injury on Sunday.
That said, the Chiefs might also look to an old friend to at least provide some security on the roster by bringing back Fabien Lovett Sr.
Lovett is a former undrafted free agent who was signed by the Chiefs out of Florida State following the 2024 NFL Draft. He landed a sizable guarantee to sign with K.C. (just under $200K) and he ended up remaining with the team’s practice squad for that entire season.
The Chiefs thought highly enough of Lovett to bring him back on a futures deal for the 2025 campaign. However, he was passed on the depth chart in training camp and was ultimately released when active rosters were due. The New England Patriots took a flyer, but they released him from their practice squad at the end of September.
Given that Lovett is very familiar with Steve Spagnuolo and the locker room, it might make sense to add Lovett back into the mix of competitors until a bigger move is made. The Chiefs have other internal options on the practice squad already, but one of them is likely headed for the roster until general manager Brett Veach can find the bigger addition he’s wanting along the defensive interior.
Marlon Tuipulotu, Zacch Pickens, and Brodric Martin are the internal options for the Chiefs, so perhaps they will get first crack at replacing Norman-Lott for now. However, the leash is going to be short for anyone trying to fill in, which could open the door for Lovett to get another chance with the team that introduced him to the National Football League in the first place.
