When the Kansas City Chiefs take the field on Sunday afternoon against the Los Angeles Chargers, their defensive end rotation will be a bit thin. Not only is Charles Omenihu still on the physically unable to perform list as he recovers from a torn ACL, but Mike Danna will miss Week 4 with a calf injury.
Naturally, that puts even more pressure on George Karlaftis to perform at a high level against an AFC West rival. It also opens the door for 2023 first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah and veteran Malik Herring to make their presence felt on the field.
Could Danna's absence pave the way for someone else to stand out, though? August trade acquisition Cameron Thomas has yet to appear in a game for Kansas City, which might change this weekend. If head coach Andy Reid has anything to say about it, the former third-round pick will make his season debut.
“I think he’s ready to roll," Reid said. "He’s a pretty sharp kid and plays hard and all that. He’s been working in there for the last few weeks, anyway.”
Prior to coming to the Chiefs, Thomas had a mixed bag of a tenure with the Arizona Cardinals. Fresh off an excellent final collegiate campaign at San Diego State, he had three sacks as a rookie. Last season, however, he didn't have a single sack and logged just one quarterback hit in 15 games played. Arizona shifted him to more of a true linebacker role, taking him away from having the opportunity to rush the passer via a more traditional alignment.
Now, though, Thomas is a defensive end in a 4-3 scheme under Steve Spagnuolo. That's a much better fit, and a change of scenery was also likely needed after he failed to make a big-time impact with the Cardinals. Regarding Anudike-Uzomah and Herring's snaps, here's how many reps each player has combined for this season:
- Week 1: 27 (18 for Anudike-Uzomah, 9 for Herring)
- Week 2: 18 (12 for Anudike-Uzomah, 6 for Herring)
- Week 3: 21 (14 for Anudike-Uzomah, 7 for Herring)
Danna played 134 snaps in Weeks 1-3. That leaves plenty of room for everyone else to get additional work against a battered Los Angeles offensive line. If Thomas is active, keep an eye on how he looks in his first chance to show the Chiefs what he's got.
