The Way Chris Jones Is Being Used This Season Has Analysts Predicting a Blockbuster Chiefs Trade at the Deadline.QQ
Brett Veach might have found the answer, but it appears that it’s not ready yet. Perhaps that will force the Kansas City Chiefs general manager to look for some interim help at the NFL’s trade deadline.
The Chiefs made a significant investment at defensive tackle this offseason, at least in a long-term sense, when they selected Omarr Norman-Lott in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The choice was a much-needed addition to a thin defensive interior for K.C., one that experiences a steep drop after superstar Chris Jones in the middle.
But Veach didn’t really attend to the heart of the line other than that single move, and Norman-Lott wasn’t exactly a well-tested option coming into the NFL. And the Chiefs are treating him like he’s not quite ready for a heavy load in terms of snaps six games into his rookie season. That could lead Veach to look for some veteran assistance.
Pro Football Focus made a list of 20 potential trade candidates ahead of the deadline, which is November 4, and the Chiefs are connected with several. One in particular is the most intriguing: Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Calais Campbell.
The Chiefs have every reason to be in on a potential Calais Campbell deal, if the Cardinals are selling.
That Campbell is able to even make an NFL roster at the age of 39 is incredible enough. However, even after 267 games played, the ironman lineman remains a valuable asset up front, a proven performer who may have surpassed his Pro Bowl days, but he continues to disrupt the passing game while bolstering a team’s run defense.
This year, Campbell has started all six games for Arizona up front and has 10 pressures, 3 sacks, and 15 combined tackles. He is in his first season with the Cardinals after having signed a single-season deal with a cap hit of $6 million, making the financial part of any deal an easy call for an acquiring team (like the Chiefs).
Beyond Jones, the Chiefs have a major need for further help up front for a unit that ranks as the NFL’s fourth worst in EPA/rush allowed at 0.7 (behind the Ravens, Bills, and Dolphins). Jerry Tillery is an option, as is Derrick Nnadi, for whom the Chiefs traded back in a preseason deal, but there’s definite room for an upgrade overall—and Veach admitted as much coming into the regular season.
Norman-Lott is only being given 20 percent of snaps as of Week 6, while forcing Jones to play 80 percent or more, a too-heavy workload that isn’t a smart long-term play given the dependence on and financial commitment to Jones through 2028.
The Cards are 2-4 and sitting in the divisional basement in the NFC West behind the L.A. Rams, San Francisco 49ers, and Seattle Seahawks—each of which has a 4-2 record. That’s not so far out, but if the Cards lose to the Packers, as they should, on Sunday, they’ll head into the bye week with a 2-5 record and major questions to consider in the season’s second half.
Should they choose to divest themselves of short-term assets for long-term gain, it makes sense to believe the Chiefs would be interested in an acquisition like Campbell. So would other teams, however, given his versatility, experience, and impact up front. What Veach might be willing to offer is a different story, but it feels safe to say he’d at least be amenable to the discussion.
