The New York Jets have added more depth to their interior defensive line.
According to his agency, free agent defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi has agreed to a deal with New York.
Nnadi, who turns 29 in May, spent each of his first seven NFL seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Florida State product was selected by Kansas City with a third-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft.
The 6-foot-1, 317-pound defensive tackle quickly emerged as a key piece of the Chiefs’ defensive line rotation, starting 11 games in his rookie year. Nnadi went on to start 87 of his 115 appearances for the Chiefs from 2018-24.
After starting all 34 games for Kansas City from 2022-23, Nnadi was relegated to a backup role in 2024, starting just one of 17 games and playing a career-low 221 defensive snaps.
Nnadi will not bring much pass-rushing ability to the Jets’ defensive line; he’s posted just five sacks, eight quarterback hits, and 66 total pressures in 115 career games. Run-stopping is where he makes his mark. In his career, Nnadi has played exactly as many snaps against the run as against the pass (1,513), which is a very run-heavy ratio for the position.
According to Pro Football Focus, Nnadi earned a run defense grade above 70.0 in each of his first three NFL seasons. However, he finished below 41.0 in each of the past three.
Alongside his declining grades, Nnadi’s on-ball production has also dwindled. Nnadi recorded just three run stops in 2024, ranking 135th out of 137 qualified defensive tackles with a 2.4% run-stop rate. In 2023, his 5.0% run-stop rate ranked 103rd out of 140 qualifiers. The downward trajectory of his statistical production could explain why Kansas City chose to shrink his role in 2023.
In Nnadi, the Jets are buying low on a run-stopping specialist with extensive starting and playoff experience. He provides a skill set New York otherwise lacks at the position.
Nnadi is the third defensive tackle added by New York in free agency, joining Byron Cowart and Jay Tufele. The Jets’ depth chart at the position now features Nnadi, Cowart, Quinnen Williams, Jay Tufele, Leonard Taylor III, and Phidarian Mathis.
