The Kansas City Chiefs acquired veteran defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi through a trade Sunday with the New York Jets, sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
The deal also includes a 2027 draft-pick swap, with the Chiefs receiving a conditional seventh-round pick in exchange for a conditional sixth-round selection.
Entering Sunday, the Chiefs desperately needed a veteran interior lineman for early downs. The Chiefs also couldn’t risk the possibility of the Jets trading Nnadi to another team before the NFL’s cutdown day deadline Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, when teams must trim their roster to 53 players. Before this offseason when he signed with the Jets as a free agent, Nnadi had spent his entire seven-year career with the Chiefs.
Nnadi became available the past few days because he was unlikely to make the Jets’ roster. He played 66 defensive snaps in the preseason and made five tackles. The additions of defensive tackles Harrison Phillips and Jovon Briggs, both acquired last week in trades, made Nnadi expendable.
In the past with the Chiefs, Nnadi helped the team win three Super Bowls and has been known for his durability, playing 115 games. Nnadi is not expected to the be the starter, but he’ll be a rotational defender often next to Chris Jones, the Chiefs’ best pass rusher.
Last week, the Chiefs traded receiver Skyy Moore, who was not making their roster, to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for swapping 2027 late-round picks. The 49ers received a seventh-round pick in exchange for the Chiefs getting a sixth-round pick.
Following Sunday’s move, the Chiefs essentially traded Skyy Moore to help trade for Nnadi.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini contributed to this report.
